Chimpanzees killed for the bushmeat trade suffer traumatic deaths and the trade drives orphaned infants into the captive pet market, creating cascading welfare harms.
The bushmeat trade inflicts welfare harms that ripple through chimpanzee communities. Adults are killed with snares, shotguns, or traps causing traumatic deaths. Infants that survive the killing of their family members experience acute psychological trauma — witnessing violence and losing their mothers at an age when they would normally depend on maternal care for years. Traumatized infants sold into the pet trade continue to suffer in inappropriate conditions. Even confiscated chimpanzees face severe rehabilitation challenges due to the depth of psychological damage from early trauma. Demand reduction and alternative livelihoods for bushmeat hunters are the most effective welfare interventions.