Wildlife farming: A viable alternative to hunting in tropical forest? WCS Working Paper No. 23.

In many developing countries, wildlife is an essential food resource, a source of income for rural peoples, and an important part of human spiritual and cultural systems (Robinson & Redford, 1991; Hladik et al., 1993; Robinson & Bennett, 2000). In tropical forest regions, there is often little tradition of domestic livestock management; in regions without strong food production sectors, hunted wildlife can be essential for food security (Wilkie & Carpenter, 1999; Fa et al., 2003), or as a fall-back when other sources of food and income are scarce (Robinson & Bennett, 2002). Wild species commonly consumed in tropical forest countries include mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, as well as invertebrates such as termites, beetles, and snails. Forest peoples rely most heavily on terrestrial vertrebrates and fish for their livelihoods. In recent years, concern has been growing about the unsustainable levels of wildlife hunting, especially in tropical forests (e.g., Robinson & Bennett, 2000; Milner-Gulland et al., 2002). Growing human populations, the introduction of modern hunting techniques, increased access to diminishing areas of forests, and increasing commercialization of hunting have all increased pressure on wildlife populations (Robinson & Redford, 1991; Robinson & Bennett, 2000). Recent estimates of annual wild meat harvest include 23,500 tonnes in the Malaysian state of Sarawak (Bennett et al., 2000), 67,000 to 164,000 tonnes in the Brazilian Amazon (Redford & Robinson, 1991), and one million tonnes in Central Africa (Wilkie & Carpenter, 1999). This is causing population declines and local extinctions of many species across the world’s tropical forests (e.g., Bennett & Robinson, 2000), leading to questions of whether food security for tropical forest peoples is being compromised by the decline in the wildlife resource. Theoretical calculations for Central Africa project that, at present harvest rates, the protein supply from bushmeat will drop by 81 percent over the next 50 years (Fa et al., 2003). Alternative sources of protein are required to ensure both that people have a long-term source of protein, and that wildlife species are conserved. One solution often proposed is to farm wildlife species for their meat (e.g.,Cicogna, 1992). This would allow people to eat wild meat, while taking pressure off wildlife populations. The solution is controversial, however, with concerns about the viability of such farming, its cost effectiveness, and its impact on wildlife populations (e.g., Emmons, 1987; Fa, 2000). This paper, therefore, examines the viability and conservation role of wildlife farming in tropical forest countries. It focuses on farming of wild terrestrial vertebrates, where the primary motivation is to provide protein for local people’s consumption to take pressure off wild populations. Savannah ranching, aquaculture, farming with the primary aim of producing skins and hides, and export-based wildlife farming are not considered here.