Assessing Africa-wide pangolin exploitation by scaling local data

Overexploitation is one of the main pressures driving wildlife closer to extinction, yet broad-scale data to evaluate species’ declines are limited. Using African pangolins (Family: Pholidota) as a case study, we demonstrate that collating local-scale data can provide crucial information on regional trends in exploitation of threatened species to inform conservation actions and policy. We estimate that 0.4-2.7 million pangolins are hunted annually in Central African forests. The number of pangolins hunted has increased by ~150% and the proportion of pangolins of all vertebrates hunted increased from 0.04% to 1.83% over the past four decades. However, there were no trends in pangolins observed at markets, suggesting use of alternative supply chains. We found evidence that the price of giant (Smutsia gigantea) and arboreal (Phataginus sp.) pangolins in urban markets has increased, mirroring trends in Asian pangolins. Efforts and resources are needed to increase law enforcement and population monitoring, and investigate linkages between subsistence hunting and illegal wildlife trade

Assessing Africa-Wide Pangolin Exploitation by Scaling Local Data

Overexploitation is one of the main pressures driving wildlife closer to extinction, yet broad-scale data to evaluate species' declines are limited. Using African pangolins (Family: Pholidota) as a case study, we demonstrate that collating local-scale data can provide crucial information on regional trends in exploitation of threatened species to inform conservation actions and policy. We estimate that 0.4-2.7 million pangolins are hunted annually in Central African forests. The number of pangolins hunted has increased by ∼150% and the proportion of pangolins of all vertebrates hunted increased from 0.04% to 1.83% over the past four decades. However, there were no trends in pangolins observed at markets, suggesting use of alternative supply chains. The price of giant (Smutsia gigantea) and arboreal (Phataginus sp.) pangolins in urban markets has increased 5.8 and 2.3 times respectively, mirroring trends in Asian pangolins. Efforts and resources are needed to increase law enforcement and population monitoring, and investigate linkages between subsistence hunting and illegal wildlife trade

The role of wildlife for food security in Central Africa: a threat to biodiversity?

First paragraph: La viande provenant d'animaux sauvages terrestres ou semi-terrestres, dénommée « viande de brousse », est une importante source de protéines animales pour les populations des pays d'Afrique centrale, et une composante essentielle de la sécurité alimentaire et des moyens de subsistance dans les zones rurales. Des estimations sur la consommation de viande de brousse a travers le bassin du Congo vont de 1 million de tonnes (Wilkie & Carpenter, 1999) a 5 millions de tonnes (Fa et al., 2003) et les taux d'exploitation de 23 a 897 kg/km2/an (Nasi et al., 2008). Starkey (2004) a estimé qu'un total de 161 tonnes de viande de brousse était vendu annuellement sur cinq marchés au Gabon. De meme, Fa et al. (1995) ont estimé que la quantité de viande de brousse vendue chaque année sur les deux principaux marchés de Guinée Équatoriale était de l'ordre de 178 tonnes. En 1995-96, un inventaire des quatre principaux marchés de Yaoundé, la capitale du Cameroun, a permis d'estimer les ventes de viande de brousse entre 840 et 1.080 tonnes par an (Bahuchet & Ioveva, 1999). Dans cette ville, Edderai & Dame (2006) ont recensé 15 marchés et 145 restaurants et cafétérias vendant cette viande et assurant un emploi a 249 personnes. Fargeot & Dieval (2000) estiment que, a Bangui, capitale de la République Centrafricaine (RCA ), la consommation annuelle de viande de brousse est de l'ordre de 9.500 tonnes. Dans leur article (en cours d'impression), van Vliet et al. font état de ventes annuelles de l'ordre de 271 tonnes a Kisangani, en République démocratique du Congo (RDC)

Le rôle de la faune dans le cadre de la sécurité alimentaire en Afrique centrale: Une menace pour la Biodiversité?

First paragraph: La viande provenant d'animaux sauvages terrestres ou semi-terrestres, dénommée « viande de brousse », est une importante source de protéines animales pour les populations des pays d'Afrique centrale, et une composante essentielle de la sécurité alimentaire et des moyens de subsistance dans les zones rurales. Des estimations sur la consommation de viande de brousse a travers le bassin du Congo vont de 1 million de tonnes (Wilkie & Carpenter, 1999) a 5 millions de tonnes (Fa et al., 2003) et les taux d'exploitation de 23 a 897 kg/km2/an (Nasi et al., 2008). Starkey (2004) a estimé qu'un total de 161 tonnes de viande de brousse était vendu annuellement sur cinq marchés au Gabon. De meme, Fa et al. (1995) ont estimé que la quantité de viande de brousse vendue chaque année sur les deux principaux marchés de Guinée Équatoriale était de l'ordre de 178 tonnes. En 1995-96, un inventaire des quatre principaux marchés de Yaoundé, la capitale du Cameroun, a permis d'estimer les ventes de viande de brousse entre 840 et 1.080 tonnes par an (Bahuchet & Ioveva, 1999). Dans cette ville, Edderai & Dame (2006) ont recensé 15 marchés et 145 restaurants et cafétérias vendant cette viande et assurant un emploi a 249 personnes. Fargeot & Dieval (2000) estiment que, a Bangui, capitale de la République Centrafricaine (RCA ), la consommation annuelle de viande de brousse est de l'ordre de 9.500 tonnes. Dans leur article (en cours d'impression), van Vliet et al. font état de ventes annuelles de l'ordre de 271 tonnes a Kisangani, en République démocratique du Congo (RDC)

Peri-urban conservation in the Mondah forest of Libreville, Gabon: Red List assessments of endemic plant species, and avoiding protected area downsizing

Urban development is an increasing threat to the integrity of formerly remote protected areas, in some cases resulting in their downgrading, downsizing or degazetting. One-quarter of previously remote protected areas are now within 17 km of a city and thus face the threat of urbanization. Here we describe a case of avoided downgrading, downsizing and degazetting of a protected area in the Mondah forest of Gabon, north of Libreville. Since its creation in 1934 the Forêt Classée de la Mondah has been downsized regularly, losing 40% of its area over 80 years. During this time the forest surrounding the Forêt Classée was subject to usage for urban and peri-urban needs, including agriculture, sand extraction, collection of medicinal plants, ceremonies, and housing construction. In 2010 the area was threatened with further downsizing. The presence of narrowly endemic plant species in the area was suspected, and mapping and evaluation of these species was proposed in an effort to maintain the protected area boundaries. Botanical field work, including ex situ conservation measures and participant observation in nearby forest communities, was conducted; 24 endemic species, all threatened by urbanization, were evaluated using the criteria for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The borders of the protected area were maintained because of its role in maintaining irreplaceable habitat for threatened species. The area was renamed Raponda Walker Arboretum in 2012