Wild Primate Bushmeat Trade Welfare

The bushmeat trade kills millions of wild primates annually with significant individual welfare harm and conservation consequences.

Key Facts

An estimated 600,000 tonnes of bushmeat is consumed annually in the Congo Basin alone
Great apes including gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees are killed for bushmeat despite legal protections
Infants are often taken alive for the pet trade when mothers are killed for meat
Snaring methods used in bushmeat hunting cause prolonged suffering before death

Welfare Considerations

Primates killed for bushmeat experience the welfare harm of both the killing method and the circumstances of capture. Snares cause prolonged distress — animals may struggle for days before dying. Orphaned infants lose their mothers violently and face high mortality without appropriate care. The bushmeat trade is both a welfare emergency and a conservation crisis — the species most affected are our closest relatives with complex social lives and emotional capacity for suffering.

What You Can Do

Support organizations working on bushmeat demand reduction and alternative livelihoods
Donate to wildlife law enforcement programs in primate range countries
Support sanctuaries caring for bushmeat trade orphans
Advocate for international funding of primate range country conservation