Conservation of Biodiversity through Effective Management of Wildlife Trade

Domestic and international trade in wildlife species plays an important role in national and local economies, and bushmeat constitutes a major source of protein for rural communities in Gabon. At the same time, much of the trade in wildlife in the region is unregulated and almost nothing is known about the impact of trade on biodiversity. Improved knowledge and management of wildlife and its trade is urgently needed to protect biodiversity in the region, and to ensure sustainable use of the resource and its continued contribution to economic development. Protection of wildlife resources requires improved capacity of government agencies in wildlife management and conservation and empowerment of rural communities to monitor, manage and derive benefits from wildlife utilization.