TITLE:
The Knowledge about the Potential Health Risks of Illegal Bushmeat Activities among Local Communities Adjacent to Western Nyerere National Park, Tanzania
AUTHORS:
Yohani R. Foya, Charles P. Mgeni, Reuben M. J. Kadigi, Michael H. Kimaro, Shombe N. Hassan
KEYWORDS:
Local Communities, Bushmeat Consumption, Wildlife Products, Zoonotic Diseases, Awareness
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Ecology,
Vol.13 No.1,
January
19,
2023
ABSTRACT: Establishing knowledge of local communities regarding the potential health risks of illegal bushmeat hunting and its related practices is among the essential means to developing effective conservation and public health programs. To reveal the understanding of the local people regarding the potential health risks of bushmeat consumption and handling of wildlife products, we used a semi-structured questionnaire to survey 261 households in eight villages located adjacent to the western part of Nyerere National Park. Also, we interviewed eight key informants, including conservation personnel and veterinary officers, in the study area. The proportion of local people who were unaware that handling of wildlife products and bushmeat consumption were risky behaviours towards acquiring zoonotic diseases was slightly higher (57%) than the proportion of respondents who were aware of the likely risks of zoonotic diseases from the practices. After all, the majority (83%) of local people admitted having come into contact with wildlife products, while over 70% reported having consumed bushmeat. We found that local communities living closer to the park boundaries (