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What is Bush-meat?

In Africa, the forest is often referred to as the bush. Meat from wildlife in the forest is therefore referred to as Bushmeat. Some examples of wildlife used for bushmeat are chimpanzees, gorillas, elephants, monkeys, guinea fowl, and many more. What is happening in Africa?

Due to an increasing demand in the illegal wildlife trade market, the wildlife, the ecosystem, and the humans in Africa are greatly affected. Some effects of the bushmeat trade are:

• Dangerous and illegal hunting methods, such as wire snares
• Hunting of endangered species
• Extinction of species
• Lack of food security for rural populations
• Spread of diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and Ebola

What is happening in the United States? United States are contributing to the illegal trade of bushmeat. Bushmeat is illegally imported every month. To learn more about the bushmeat trade in the United States, check out http://www.bushmeat.org/bushmeat_and_wildlife_trade/regions_affected/us_and_canada.