Conservation strategies for understanding and combating the primate bushmeat trade on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea

Riaco, Cirilo; Esara Echube, Jose Manuel; Gonder, Mary Katherine; Cronin, Drew; Mitchell, Matthew W; Sesink Clee, Paul R.; Cirilo, Riaco; Bocuma Me�e, Demetrio; Fern�ndez, David; Fero Me�e, Maximiliano; Mary Katherine, Gonder; Hearn, Gail W

Abstract

© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea is among the important places in Africa for the conservation of primates, but a cultural preference for bushmeat and a lack of effective law enforcement has encouraged commercial bushmeat hunting, threatening the survival of the remaining primate population. For over 13 years, we collected bushmeat market data in the Malabo market, recording over 35,000 primate carcasses, documenting “mardi gras” consumption patterns, seasonal carcass availability, and negative effects resulting from government intervention. We also conducted forest surveys throughout Bioko's two protected areas in order to localize and quantify primate populations and hunting pressure. Using these data, we were able to document the significant negative impact bushmeat hunting had on monkey populations, estimate which species are most vulnerable to hunting, and develop ecological niche models to approximate the distribution of each of Bioko's diurnal primate species. These results also have allowed for the identification of primate hotspots, such as the critically important southwest region of the Gran Caldera Scientific Reserve, and thus, priority areas for conservation on Bioko, leading to more comprehensive conservation recommendations. Current and future efforts now focus on bridging the gap between investigators and legislators in order to develop and effectively implement a management plan for Bioko's Gran Caldera Scientific Reserve and to develop a targeted educational campaign to reduce demand by changing consumer attitudes toward bushmeat. Using this multidisciplinary approach, informed by biological, socioeconomic, and cultural research, there may yet be a positive future for the primates of Bioko.

• Journal Article Type: Review
• Acceptance Date: Feb 26, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Apr 7, 2017
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2017
• Deposit Date: May 11, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 7, 2018
• Journal: American Journal of Primatology
• Print ISSN: 0275-2565
• Electronic ISSN: 1098-2345
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 79
• Issue: 11
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.22663
• Keywords: Bioko, bushmeat, conservation, ecological niche models, hunting, red colobus
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/877840
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajp.22663
• Related Public URLs: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajp.22663/abstract
• Additional Information: Additional Information : This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Cronin, D., Sesink Clee, P. R., Matthew W, M., Demetrio, B. Meñe, Fernández, D., Cirilo, R., Fero Meñe, M., Jose Manuel, E. E., Gail W, H. and Mary Katherine, G. (2017) Conservation strategies for understanding and combating the primate bushmeat trade on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. American Journal of Primatology, 79 (11), which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajp.22663. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
• Contract Date: May 11, 2017