Wild animal attacks and other occupational risks perceived by Indigenous hunters and fishers in the Yangambi landscape

Abstract

ABSTRACT Hunting and fishing support diverse food systems in tropical forest areas, but carry serious occupational risks. Health and safety at work is important to human wellbeing and constitutes an element of Indigenous rights. This issue has received attention in the regulated sector, but needs additional focus in subsistence and informal economies. We draw on semi-structured interviews with Turumbo hunters and fishers in the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve region (DRC) to assess perceptions of occupational risk, especially attacks from wild animals. Fishers were concerned about drowning and cuts, while hunters cited bad weather and injuries from faulty equipment. There was gender-specific perception of risk from wild animals that reflected different roles: women noted snake bites and wasps, while men feared larger animals. Retaliatory behaviors among respondents included killing various species. The risks associated with fishing and hunting in tropical forests should be addressed in policies that consider the wellbeing of the poor.