Gestion de la reproduction en aulacodiculture. Synthèse des outils et méthodes existants

National audienceCane rats breeding is now technically well known and reproduction in captivity of this African rodent works well. However, in an economical logic, a good management of the reproduction is essential to enable an optimal productivity of the females. So, sires have to be identified to avoid inbreeding and select the most performant ones. Mating is made in polygamous group. Being lighter than the male, the femalesare brought to the male's pen. An easy and early gestation test by examination of the vaginal mucus color exists and should be made as routine practice. When pregnant, females can be isolated until weaning (what is called temporary mating), or left permanently with the male hi the pen (permanent mating) for an early covering after birth.L’élevage d’aulacodes est aujourd’hui techniquement bien maîtrisé, et la reproduction en captivité de ce rongeur africain ne pose plus de problème. Toutefois, dans une logique économique, une bonne gestion de la reproduction est indispensable afin de permettre une productivité optimale des femelles. Dans ce cadre, il est important que les géniteurs soient identifiés, afin d’éviter les croisements consanguins et d’assurer une sélection des individus les plus performants. La reproduction a lieu en groupes polygames, les femelles, plus légères que le mâle, étant transférées dans l’enclos de celui-ci. Un test de gestation simple et précoce par examen du mucus vaginal est disponible et sa pratique doit être généralisée. Les femelles gestantes peuvent alors être isolées une à une jusqu’au sevrage des jeunes (mise en accouplement temporaire), ou au contraire laissées en permanence avec le mâle dans l’enclos (mise en accouplement permanent), qui permet une saillie post-partum très précoce

Synthesising bushmeat research effort in West and Central Africa: A new regional database

Unsustainable hunting threatens both biodiversity and local livelihoods. Despite high levels of research effort focused on understanding the dynamics of bushmeat trade and consumption, current research is largely site specific. Without synthesis and quantitative analysis of available case studies, the national and regional characteristics of bushmeat trade and consumption remain largely speculative, impeding efforts to inform national and regional policy on bushmeat trade. Here we describe the structure and content of the West and Central African bushmeat database which holds quantitative data on bushmeat sales, consumption and offtake for 177 species from 275 sites across 11 countries in two regions, spanning three decades of research. Despite this wealth of available data, we found important biases in research effort. The majority of studies in West and Central Africa have collected market data, which although providing a useful record of bushmeat sales, are limited in their ability to track changes in hunting offtake. In addition, few data exist for West Africa, and few studies have tracked changes over time, using repeat sampling. With new initiatives in the regions to track bushmeat hunting, this database represents an opportunity to synthesise current and future data on bushmeat hunting, consumption and trade in West and Central Africa, identify gaps in current understanding, and systematically target future monitoring efforts

Household bushmeat consumption in Brazzaville, the Republic of the Congo.

Wildlife meat is an important source of animal protein for rural and urban populations in Congo. Quantitative and qualitative surveys on the consumption of bushmeat were undertaken in Brazzaville in 2006, in about 1,050 urban households. The main objective was to establish the profiles of consumers and of species concerned. The results showed that 88.3% of the surveyed households consumed bushmeat. Their average size was 5.7 ± 3.2 persons. The average monthly income of an urban consumer with a permanent job was 98,334 (US$197) ± 84,306 (US$169) FCFA. It appeared that households preferred to consume bushmeat for two major reasons: the taste or flavor (67.8%) and food habits (14.7%). Meat from mammals was preferred, the top three orders of this class being artiodactyls (48.3%), rodents (28.3%), and primates (13.0%). Some of them are listed as threatened in Congo Brazzaville and are included in the IUCN Red List. The results showed that in Brazzaville, bushmeat consumption remains important and is determined by socio-economic parameters. The promotion of game farming, and breeding of domestic species such as poultry and fish, in the Brazzaville suburbs could help to meet Congolese demand for bushmeat