MENTOR Fellows Bushmeat Assessments in Eastern Africa 2008

1. Isaac SemeMENTOR Fellow-Southern Sudan Email: iseme65@yahoo.com MENTOR FellowsBushmeat Assessments in Eastern Africa 2008

2. MENTOR FellowsAssessment sites and methods Objectives: • Regional Level Assessment on law enforcement • National Level Assessments • Site Level Assessments • Multiple methods applied to assess status of bushmeat trade in eastern Africa • Aim to identify and evaluate current bushmeat trade, potential solutions and partners

3. Map of Eastern Africa

4. Assessments Results from Southern Sudan Badingilo National Park Findings: • Bushmeat consumption has increased, animal populations dropped due inadequate law enforcement and awareness. • Major hunting methods is automatic rifle. • Most hunted species are Tiang, Mongalla gazelle, warthog, bushback and hippo. Boma National ParkFindings: • Mainsource of protein and income for the communities. • 21 wild animals species illegally hunted, 85% were herbivores while White-eared kob and Mongalla gazelle were the most targeted. • Main hunting tool: automatic rifle • Wildlife species decreasing: elephant, buffalo, giraffe and zebra due to inadequate law enforcement, human and technical capacity

5. Assessment Results from Tanzania Urban Centers in Morogoro and Kilombero District and Katavi National Park Findings: • Bushmeat trade is increasing, has changed from subsistence use to commercial trade. • Bushmeat is exported outside the countries to: Kenya , Zambia , Malawi, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Far East • The wildlife populations (ungulates) are decreasing • Low awareness on wildlife laws and values • Drivers include: cultural, protein and income use • Institutional capacity inadequate (funds, manpower, knowledge) • Inadequate monitoring, inspection and supervision during subsistence hunting • In Katavi, the main hunting tool is muzzle loaders.

6. Assessment Results from Kenya Masai Mara Findings: • Poaching for bushmeat in Masai Mara is increasing due to low awareness on the impacts. Most affected species include: wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, hippo and impala • 11,398 snares and 895 other trapping devices confiscated in last five years • Cross border bushmeat issues • Drivers are income, protein and culture Wildlife Policy Findings: • Wildlife belongs to state – no ownership rights for private individuals/communities • Consumptive use restricted – no benefits to landholders from wildlife • Little community involvement in wildlife management • Consequences • rising bushmeat poaching and trade - commercialisation • habitat loss to other land-use due to lack of ownership rights • escalation of human wildlife conflict

7. Assessment Results from Uganda Urban Areas: Gulu, Kasese, Masindi, Kampala Findings: • Declining populations and local extinctions in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Parks • The most preferred species: hippo, buffalo, warthog • Species disappearing from the trade: hippo, buffalo and elephant • Drivers: taste, poverty, cultural • Bushmeat is important in livelihoods , economically average of US $300/month, average of 172kg/month • Awareness inadequate on disease, laws, and wildlife value • Insufficient law enforcement.

8. Regional Assessment Results on Law Enforcement • Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya Findings: • Inadequate awareness of wildlife laws by law enforcers • Lack of forensic analysis (bushmeat DNA testing) for proving cases • Tanzania Economic Crime Act contributes to the failure in prosecuting wildlife cases. • Tanzania laws have no provision for other wildlife values. • Uganda laws have no provisions for financial values of wildlife in the laws. • Need for transboundary law enforcement in Mara Serengeti ecosystem.

9. Commonalities and Differences Commonalities • Inadequate awareness (diseases, wildlife laws, impact of bushmeat) across the eastern Africa • Inadequate enforcement of laws, capacity and technology • Decreasing wildlife populations • Common drivers • Common hunting tools • Inadequate collaboration among stakeholders Differences • Values of wildlife from legal perspectives • Policies and laws