Summary
On 29 January 2010, the Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group hosted a Bushmeat Briefing to share recent developments in field projects in Africa, to learn about policy and law enforcement impacts of bushmeat in the U.S. and to discuss priorities and strategies for better engaging stakeholders and decision makers in addressing the bushmeat crisis. The meeting and discussion were facilitated by Dr. Heather E. Eves of Virginia Polytechnic and State University. Heidi Ruffler (Zoological Society of London) gave an overview of the conservation, economic and political role of Equatorial Guinea and ZSL’s role there, particularly regarding the importance of primate biodiversity and ZSL’s work on protein and economic alternatives to bushmeat. Philip Alegranti of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement reviewed the U.S. government’s investigation and prosecution of Mamie Manneh for illegally importing bushmeat into the U.S. Nancy Gelman of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Wildlife Without Borders-Africa program gave an update on recent developments of the MENTOR/BEAN capacity-building program in eastern Africa, including a high-level workshop held in Uganda in December 2009. In addition to facilitating the discussion, Heather Eves provided information on the role of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Bushmeat Liaison Group and an upcoming meeting on planning a bushmeat monitoring system for Central Africa. The discussion that followed the presentations addressed the role and scope of law enforcement efforts and training across international borders, the public health implications of the bushmeat trade, and the challenges and importance of scaling up capacity building efforts in Africa.
For further information, please see the full minutes of the meeting here.
Agenda
Meeting Objectives
10:00-10:10 Welcome, introductions and context Dr. Heather E. Eves, Adjunct Professor, Virginia Polytechnic and State University 10:10-10:30 Alternatives to Bushmeat in Equatorial Guinea Ms. Heidi Ruffler, Project Manager, Equatorial Guinea, Zoological Society of London 10:30-10:50 Bushmeat in the United States: The Case in New York Mr. Phil Alegranti, Special Agent, US Fish and Wildlife Service 10:50-11:10 Capacity and Network Building in East Africa Ms. Nancy Gelman, Program Officer-Africa Program, Wildlife Without Borders, US Fish and Wildlife Service 11:10-11:30 Q&A with speakers 11:30-12:00 Facilitated discussion on big questions in bushmeat
12:00 Next steps and adjourn
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