Motives, other meat sources and socioeconomic status predict number of consumers with preference for two antelope species served in Enugu-Nigeria

Abstract

Conservationists are raising concerns about escalating rates of illegal hunting and trading of wildlife resource for food (meat). Hunting of wild animals is associated with complex motivations and drivers that include the high demand for high-value luxury products or a preference for a particular wild animal that consumers consider nutritious over other commercial meat products. Despite the fact that the preference for animal meat from the wild could be a contributory factor hampering most conservation efforts, more studies are still focusing more on habitat destruction rather than bushmeat trade. We investigated the factors influencing preference for antelopes compared with other forms of meat (commercial and non-antelope bushmeat) sold at bushmeat retail centers of Enugu-Nigeria. Data was collected from retailers and a face-to-face interview of respondents at four different centers (selected by cluster probability sampling method) of the three rural areas over a 12-month period. A total of 283 bushbucks (Tragelaphus sylvaticus) and 211 common duikers (Sylvicapra grimmia) were provided by hunters to the retail centers. Data from 1884 semi-structured questionnaires (administered by simple random sampling) indicate most respondents preferred to consume antelope meat because it is readily availability. The duiker was consumed for its morphology and resemblance to goat. In the absence of antelope, the non-antelope bushmeat (guinea fowl) and commercial meat (pork) were consumed due to affordability. Generalized linear mixed model (GLMMs) analyses indicated that respondent age, occupation and motives were significantly related to the number of consumers of antelopes and other sources of meat at the retail centers. The younger consumers of age range 18–35 years consumed antelope and other forms of meat at the retail centers due to health benefits, while businessmen, due to availability. The selection of antelopes by the younger consumers could be an indication of a push to healthier living which may be motivated by status-seeking attitude that could in turn affect future conservation of wildlife resources.