Bushmeat Trade on The Markets Near the Lomako Yokokala Wildlife Reserve (Tshuapa Province) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Faculté des Sciences, Département de Biologie, Université Pédagogique Nationale, B.P. 8815 Kinshasa Ngaliema, République. Démocratique du Congo

2 Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques,Universite Pédagogique Nationale, B.P. 8815 Kinshasa Ngaliema, République Démocratique du Congo.

3 Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Kinshasa, B.P. 190 Kinshasa XI, République Démocratique du Congo.

Abstract

A survey was conducted in Befale and Boende in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It revealed that the purchase of the game from hunters and the resale of these games in small pieces at the market are more practiced by women (100%). The experience of time spent in this activity varies from less than 10 years (33, 3 %) to 30 years and more (20%). Most (60%) have no preference for the choice of game meat to sell; they sell whatever they can find, as long as the operation brings them a profit. Many people buy meat from hunters (66, 7 %) but those who have not had time to reach the hunters, buy it from wholesalers (66, 7%). Some regular hunters or wholesalers take the game on credit and pay after the sale. Local markets are cited (80%) as the places where game meat is sold, especially when it is sold fresh. They alternate, one day to buy game from hunters in the surrounding villages, and another day to go and sell at the market. The profit from the sale of game meat and other products is allocated to medical care (90%), school fees (83, 3%), clothing (83, 3%), food for children (80%), etc. Among the other products sold, there are fish (63, 3%), goat or sheep (53, 3%), caterpillars (36, 7%), pork (33, 3%), etc. We suggest as an alternative to hunting, a program for the development of socio-economic activities for the local populations.

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