Abstract
This study investigated the dynamics and socioeconomic drivers of illegal hunting of wildlife animal commonly called bushmeat in Oba Hills Forest Reserve (OHFR) in Southwest Nigeria. Two hundred and thirty-four households in 8 host communities were subjected to direct household survey using a multi-stage sampling technique. The results revealed that mainly young and middle-aged men engaged in group and seasonal bushmeat hunting, mostly during the dry season. Also, the scale of daily illegal bushmeat hunting is high in the protected area. Non-selective hunting has increased over the last five years with traditional means of hunting still prominent during the hunting expedition. Thus, the socioeconomic drivers (age, ethnicity and household size) had a strong relationship with illegal bushmeat hunting, and their odds ratio ranged between 2.11 and 3.73. Failure to provide stakes for the host communities’ inhabitants and weak penal system influenced illegal bushmeat hunting in OHFR. We conclude that the aforementioned factors need to be addressed for illegal bushmeat hunting to be tackled effectively. However, in the absence of political and economic stability, controlling illegal bushmeat hunting will remain extremely difficult and the future of wildlife conservation will remain bleak.
 Keywords: Protected area, bushmeat hunting, conservation, seasonal employment
Highlights
Bush meat hunting is becoming a major concern and driver of many wildlife population decline at the local and regional level (Wittemyer et al, 2014)
Across the central African region between 2002 -2011, over a 60% decline in forest elephants was recorded with no sign of a fall in the rate of poaching (Maisels et al, 2013)
This study aims to investigate local people perception and attitude towards bushmeat hunting and to determine the factors influencing illegal hunting of bushmeat in Oba Hills Forest Reserve, Osun State, Nigeria
Summary
Bush meat hunting is becoming a major concern and driver of many wildlife population decline at the local and regional level (Wittemyer et al, 2014). Improving behavioural change that reduces rule breaking in conservation requires an understanding of the factors that influence decisions about obeying known rules (Keane et al, 2008; St John et al, 2010) Resolving this multi-faceted motivational and povertydriven threat requires different responses. Conservation organisations do not see poverty as their primary business/issue of concern (Roe and Elliot, 2006) They are concerned with the escalating rates of illegal bushmeat hunting and trade (Duffy et al, 2016). This study aims to investigate local people perception and attitude towards bushmeat hunting and to determine the factors influencing illegal hunting of bushmeat in Oba Hills Forest Reserve, Osun State, Nigeria
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call