Bushmeat, now on the Web

A discussion forum on the dangers of eating bushmeat has been started on the Internet (bushmeat@AZA.org) (see Spore 83, p 7). It is drawing attention to the reasons behind the rising consumption of bushmeat in Africa. These include the general economic crisis (hunting is a direct source of income), shifts in population resulting from civil war and political disturbance and the devaluation of such currencies as the CFA franc. An online working party has come up with some recommendations: increase the responsibilities of forest growers, so that they provide more food to their personnel and prohibit hunting in their concessions; public awareness building; respect for legislation to protect fauna; and, above all, promotion of alternatives to local communities, for whom bushmeat is an important source of food. ECOFAC (Conservation et utilisation rationnelle des écosystèmes forestiers d Afrique centrale) B P 15115, Libreville, Gabon. Email: coordination@ecofac.org