International bushmeat trade originating from West/Central Africa Introduction to species...
-
Upload
collin-pitts -
Category
Documents
-
view
220 -
download
1
Transcript of International bushmeat trade originating from West/Central Africa Introduction to species...
International bushmeat trade originatingfrom West/Central Africa
Introduction to species identification
Developed by the CITES Secretariat
GreenCustoms Knowledge Series No. 25
2
Questions to answer
• Can species used in the bushmeat trade be identified? How?
• What are the main groups of species involved, and how can they be differentiated?
• What precautions are necessary when handling bushmeat?
• Where can assistance be found?
Bushmeat identification
• Can species used in the bushmeat trade be identified?
– Many species appearing in the bushmeat trade can be identified
– However, depending on the state of the specimen (for example, when dealing with dried or cooked/smoked meat), it may not be possible to identify to species level, or even to group level – unless laboratories are able to conduct detailed analyses (e.g. DNA profiling) and compare with reference samples
Bushmeat identification
• How can species used in the bushmeat trade be identified?
– Inspection and comparison with reference materials, photographs etc., while looking for characteristic features
– Consultation with experts and national CITES authorities
– Assistance from specialized laboratories
Bushmeat identification
• Start by considering the main groups
– Apes, monkeys– Elephant– Small carnivores– Small antelopes– Pangolins– Rodents– Snakes, lizards, tortoises– Birds
Bushmeat identification
• How these appear in trade may be very different
– Whole carcasses, fresh, frozen, dried or smoked
– Cut pieces, fresh, frozen, dried or smoked
– Meat, dried or smoked
– Cooked items
Bushmeat identification
• How can specimens be identified?
– Whole carcasses (fresh, frozen, dried/smoked)
– Parts (fresh, frozen, dried/smoked)
– Derivatives
• Which species are in highest demand internationally, and therefore more likely to be encountered by Customs?
Bushmeat identification
• There may still be characteristic features that can be used in identification, even if the specimens are cut, dried, smoked or otherwise heavily modified in appearance
Pho
to c
redi
t: T
eres
a H
art
Bonobo: face all black, unlike the Chimpanzee which has a pale or mottled face
Bushmeat identification
• Main characteristics to look for
– Skull/head
– Body shape
– Fur/hair/scales
– Leg/feet/claws
– Tail length and shape
Pho
to c
redi
t: T
eres
a H
art
Pangolin: Covered in thick scales, species can be identified by tail-body length, extent of scales on legs
Bushmeat – mammals and CITES
• In some cases it is easy to tell if CITES-listed species are involved
– All primates are included in Appendix I or II
– All wild cats are in Appendix I or II
• However, for other large groups used for bushmeat, it is not straightforward
– Duikers & chevrotains can be Appendix I, II, III or not listed
– Some commonly traded mammal species, such as porcupines and large rodents are not listed
Apes, monkeys
• Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)
– Large, tailless ape, dark brown to black with brighter face
– Face is bare, with pale, mottled or darkly pigmented skin
– White hairs grow on the chin in adults of both sexes
Pho
to c
redi
t: T
hom
as L
ersc
h
Apes, monkeys
• Bonobo (Pan paniscus)
– Face black; lips reddish or pink, slender body, arms and legs proportionally longer than Chimpanzee; arms longer than legs
Pho
to c
redi
t: T
eres
a H
art
Apes, monkeys
• Monkeys
– Drill, Mandrill (Appendix I)
• Largest monkeys, baboon-like (M: 81-90cm, F: 56-66cm)
• Mandrill male has the colorful face P
hoto
cre
dit:
Mal
ene
Thy
ssen
Mandrill
Drill
Apes, monkeys
• Colobus monkeys (all have very reduced thumbs)
– Black colobus (App. II)
• All black in coloration (58–72cm, tail 60–97cm, 6–11kg)
– King colobus (App. II)
• White only on whiskers, chest, and tail; tail not tufted)
King colobus
Pho
to c
redi
t: F
rank
Wou
ters
Apes, monkeys
• Colobus monkeys (all have very reduced thumbs)
– Red colobus (App. II)
• Black from forehead over head, neck, shoulders, upper arms, along back to outer side of thighs; whiskers, forearms, legs and underparts bright red or orange; white triangular area on hindquarters
Red colobus
Pho
to c
redi
t: A
tam
ari
Apes, monkeys
• Monkeys
– Guenons (Genus Cercopithecus)• Diana guenon (C. diana) App. I
• Red-bellied guenon (C. erythrogaster)
• Red-eared guenon (C. erythrotis)
• Owl faced monkey (C. hamlyni)
• De Brazza’s monkey (C. neglectus)
• Greater white-nosed monkey (C. nictitans)
• Crowned guenon (C. pogonias)
• Preuss’s guenon (C. preussi)
• Sclater’s guenon (C. sclateri)
• Sun tailed guenon (C. solatus)
Apes, monkeys
• Monkeys
– Guenons (Genus Cercopithecus)
• Characteristic shape, small size
Pho
to c
redi
t: D
awn
Sta
rinP
hoto
cre
dit:
Daw
n S
tarin
Apes, monkeys
• Monkeys
– Grey-cheeked mangabey (Lophocebus albigena)
• Generally black; crest has some brown posteriorly; short cheek hairs are greyish to whitish; shoulder mantle is grey with a brown tinge; thighs grey; underparts smoky grey.
– Black mangabey (Lophocebus aterrimus)
Pho
to c
redi
t: T
eres
a H
art
Elephant
• Elephant meat may appear as large pieces of smoke-blackened meat
• It will generally be more expensive in relation to other meats on sale
Pho
to c
redi
t: M
IKE
-IU
CN
Pho
to c
redi
t: M
IKE
-IU
CN
Small carnivores
• Civets, mongooses
– Carcasses will appear as somewhat cat- or weasel-like, with long pointed muzzles
African civet (Civettictis civetta)Appendix III
Pho
to c
redi
t: LA
Daw
son
Common Kusimanse (Crossarchus obscurus)Non-CITES
Small carnivores
• Palm civet (Nandinia binotata) Non-CITES
• Black-footed mongoose (Bdeogale nigripes) Non-CITES – 4 toes on each limb instead of 5
Skinned Palm civet
Small antelopes
• Jentink’s duiker (Cephalophus jentinki) Appendix I
• Ogilby’s duiker(C. ogilbyi) Appendix II
– Medium size, color golden brown; underparts paler; legs darker than the body; tail with grey tip; horns rather long (10cm+), conical, strongly ringed at the base
Small antelopes
• Yellow-backed duiker (C. sylvicultor) Appendix II
– Largest duiker with characteristic triangular yellow central patch on the back
– Horns smooth at the base, rather long (10cm+), bowed downwards P
hoto
cre
dit:
Rau
l654
Small antelopes
• Blue duiker (C. monticola) Appendix II
– Very small; slate grey to dark brown, darker on the back with a bluish gloss; forehead dark brown; white streak running above the eye from the base of each horn to the muzzle; slit like opening of the suborbital gland below each eye is surrounded by bare skin patch; horns very small; tail long, black, bushy and fringed by white hairs; legs same as the body or tinged with rufous, sometimes bright rufous contrasting with the body
Small antelopes
• Banded duiker (C. zebra) Appendix II
– Small, 12 conspicuous transverse bands; horns tiny (3cm) almost concealed by the hairs of the crest, straight, smooth at the base
Small antelopes
• Water chevrotain (Hyemoschus aquaticus) App. III
– A small, compactly built and duiker-like; a hunched back; a spotted coat with lateral stripes; without horns or antlers; upper canines of the male long and sharp
Pangolins
• Pangolins have no teeth, and they eat ants and termites using their tongue
• Their bodies are covered in hard scales, and will curl into a ball as a defensive measure
• The African species can be differentiated by the length of their tails and the coverage of scales on their legs
31
Pangolins
• Tree pangolin (Manis tricuspis)
– Tail longer than the body; scales on the forelegs do not extend to the toes
Pho
to c
redi
t: V
aler
ius
Tyg
art
Pangolins
• Tree pangolin (Manis tricuspis)
– Tail longer than the body; scales on the forelegs do not extend to the toes
Pho
to c
redi
t: T
eres
a H
art
Pangolins
• Tree pangolin (Manis tricuspis) – smoked
– Tail longer than the body; scales on the forelegs do not extend to the toes
Pho
to c
redi
t: A
P
Pangolins
• Giant pangolin (Manis gigantea)
– Tail not much longer than the body; scales on lower parts of fore and hind legs
Rodents
• Porcupines
– Brush-tailed porcupine (Atherurus africanus) Non-CITES
• One of the largest rodents in Africa; short spines, long tail, sharp incisors
Pho
to c
redi
t: T
eres
a H
art
Rodents
• Porcupines
– Brush-tailed porcupine (Atherurus africanus) Non-CITES
– Spines still visibleon smoked carcass
Pho
to c
redi
t: P
ol M
eule
neire
/ B
elgi
an C
usto
ms
Rodents
• Porcupines
– Crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata) Non-CITES
• Short tail, long spines, sharp incisors
Rodents
• Greater cane rat, grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus) Non-CITES
– Short legs, visible incisors
Pho
to c
redi
t: A
P
Snakes
• African rock python (Python sebae) App. II
– One of the largest snakes in the world
– Typically brown with olive and tan irregular blotching
Pho
to c
redi
t: T
eres
a H
art
Lizards
• Ornate monitor (Varanus ornatus) and
Nile monitor (V. niloticus)
are very similar
Pho
to c
redi
t: F
actu
mqu
intu
s
• Forest hinge-back tortoise (Kinixys erosa)
Appendix II
(Gradual slope along the back of the carapace)
• Home’s hinge-back tortoise (Kinixys homeana)
Appendix II
(Sharp downward angle along the back)
Tortoises
Birds
• Birds make up a small proportion of the bushmeat for sale in markets
– Light hollow bones, skull with beak
– Some feathers may still be present on carcasses
• Hornbills are among the birds most frequently reported in African bushmeat studies
Yellow-casqued Hornbill
46
Handling bushmeat specimens
• The handling of CITES specimens requires careful attention
• Dead specimens (such as bushmeat) can be dangerous to yourself and others, and can require specialized care and handling
• When in doubt, do not hesitate to call for specialized and experienced help from CITES authorities or other sources (such as zoo veterinarians and health experts)
47
Handling bushmeat specimens
• Points to consider when handling bushmeat specimens:
– Availability of relevant documents - do you have all the information you need? Do you know the point of origin?
– Where to carry out the examination - do you have a secure place where any escapes can be immediately controlled?
– Storage facility - if you have to hold the specimens, do you have a suitable facility?
48
Handling bushmeat specimens
• Points to consider when handling bushmeat specimens:
– Health and safety concerns - are you and your colleagues trained to deal with bushmeat specimens?
– Do you have the right equipment to ensure the safety of yourself, others?
– Are you equipped to deal with cuts, scratches or other minor injuries?
– Do you have access to help and advice if needed?
49
Handling bushmeat specimens
• Points to consider when handling bushmeat specimens:
– Availability of experts - can you contact experts who are experienced in dealing with bushmeat?
– Do you have their contact details outside working hours?
– Other agencies - have you contacted other agencies that may need to be informed (such as the CITES Management Authority)?
– Do you have the contact details of people in charge outside working hours?
50
Equipment
• It is important to keep basic equipment at hand
– Surgical gloves, face masks
– Antibacterial soap and detergents should be available for the handlers and the handling areas
51
Health
• Be aware that bushmeat specimens may carry zoonoses, also called zoonotic disease, which are diseases that can be passed from animals to humans
• Remember, the risk of disease may be greater in illegally-traded specimens that have evaded veterinary or health checks and inspections
CIT
ES
Tea
m, U
K B
orde
r A
genc
y
52
Health
• Diseases carried by animals include Ebola, Marburg virus, hepatitis A and B, green monkey disease, simian deficiency virus (animal AIDS), monkeypox, aspergillosis, botulism, and salmonella
• There are well over 200 zoonotic diseases
Pho
to c
redi
t: D
r. R
ober
t Sho
ngo
Monkeypox
53
Health
• Some examples of zoonoses are:
– Salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, anthrax, brucellosis, E. coli, leptospirosis, plague, shigellosis and tularaemia, from bacteria
– Cysticercosis/taeniasis, echinococcosis/hydatidosis, toxoplasmosis and trematodosis, from parasites
– Q-fever and other Rickettsial diseases
– Rabies, avian influenza, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Ebola, and Rift Valley fever, from viruses
World Health OrganizationFind out more at http://www.who.int/zoonoses/en/
Assistance
• Make sure you know who to contact in your country
– Health, veterinary departments for experts and technical advice
– CITES Management Authority (for CITES-listed species, assistance with identification)
– Non-Governmental organizations may be able to assist with identification and handling advice
Summary
• Many species appearing in the bushmeat trade can be identified
• For dried/smoked specimens it may not be possible to identify to species level, or even to group level – unless laboratories are able to conduct detailed analyses
• Some identification characteristics may remain, which can allow a distinction to be made between main groups of species in the bushmeat trade
• The main groups include apes and monkeys, small carnivores, small antelopes, pangolins, rodents, snakes, lizards, tortoises and birds
56
Summary
• Main characteristics to look for include the skull/head/horns, body shape, fur/hair/scales, leg/feet/claws, and tail length and shape
• Dead specimens (such as bushmeat) can be dangerous to yourself and others, and can require specialized care and handling
• Safe handling of bushmeat requires training, information and equipment, and you may need to call upon specialized assistance
• Make sure you know who to contact in your country for assistance and advice
57