This section is concerned with the hunting and killing of apes for food - "bushmeat". The bushmeat killing of great apes is the greatest threat to the survival of the species in most of their African range states. It also threatens orangutans, who are already under great pressure from loss of habitat and poaching for the pet trade. It causes immense suffering in those great apes who are shot or snared, and in the infants who are orphaned when their mothers are killed.

The Ape Alliance 'Recipes for Survival: controlling the Bushmeat trade' report, funded by WSPA is now available for NGO's and governments.

This review co authored by Ian Redmond, Tim Aldred, Katrin Jedamzik and Madeline Westwood set out to examine the current state of knowledge of the Bushmeat trade and how conservation community has reacted to the Bushmeat crisis. Download the review from these links on the W.S.P.A. International Website:

• http://wspa-international.org/publicfiles/Bushmeat_report_part_1.pdf
• http://wspa-international.org/publicfiles/Bushmeat_report_part_2.pdf

The appendices for the review can be downloaded here:

• Appendix 1 Species Hunted
• Appendix 2 Primates Hunted
• Appendix 3 Organisation Projectsand Campaigns
• Appendix 4 Index of Organisations
• Appendix 5 References Abstracts

Visit the Bushmeat Crisis Task Force web site at: www.bushmeat.org

Another source of information on the bushmeat tragedy and crisis is The Bushmeat Project.

Read the report on The African Bushmeat Trade. PDF file 549Kb.

Join the Ape Alliance Post Card Campaign.

To find out how you can help, visit the Ape Alliance How to Help Page.

Archive of scientific articles: Click here to download and read Bushmeat Working Group related articles.