Bushmeat Trade : Challenge For Food Consumption, Biodiversity Conservation and Zoonotic Disease Risk

In many tropical regions, bushmeat represents a traditional source of animal protein and the scale of the trade now extend from rural localities to urban areas in several capital cities. The intensity of the bushmeat trade threatens the survival of many species of mammal. The recent expansion of the bushmeat trade has contributed to the emergence of zoonotic diseases by increasing the likelihood of pathogens transferring to humans from hosts (wild mammals), as demonstrated by the recent COVID-19 pandemics. The fragmentation of forest habitats, which facilitates access to game, and the expansion of the commercial network related to the consumption of bushmeat pose a risk to the preservation of species of mammals consumed as bushmeat and the spread of zoonoses.

The bushmeat trade, which involves hunting wild animals and selling them for human consumption, is a complex problem that cannot be solved by focusing on just one aspect. The fundamental issue is that the very same activity that ensures food security for millions of people is also pushing wildlife toward extinction and creating pathways with hight risk potential for zoonotic disease emergence.

It is important to involve local communities in wildlife management to solve these problems, through the establishment of community wildlife management agreements that include defined quotas, health screening protocols and legal market access. This calls for innovative control tools such as environmental DNA, which can detect both pathogens and host species, helping to detect risk factors.

The goal of this Research Topic is to investigate different sides of the bushmeat, seen as a animal protein source, a threat for wildlife conservation and the risks of new infectious diseases. It covers the harvesting, trade and consumption of terrestrial and semi-terrestrial wild animals in tropical and sub-tropical regions, as well as the associated risks of zoonotic diseases. Contributions should discuss the trade-offs, synergies, and policy challenges posed by competing priorities: ensuring food security and livelihoods for both rural and urban populations, safeguarding biodiversity and preventing the extinction of vulnerable species, and reducing the risk of zoonotic spillover at the interface between wildlife and humans.

Specific themes:

1.Driver and dynamic of bushmeat consumption

2.Biodiversity and conservation impact

3.Zoonotic disease risks

4.Socioecological trade-off and governance


Types of manuscripts:

1.Original research

2.Review

3.Perspectives and opinions