New study raises alarm over trade in bushmeat
A giraffe grazing in Lake Nakuru National park on October 5, 2022. Poachers are targeting giraffe meat which is in high demand because of its size and cultural factors.
A new study has identified the Nairobi-Nakuru highway as a hotspot for the bushmeat trade.
According to the study by scientists at the Wildlife Research Training Institute (WRTI), the trade is also thriving in Kajiado County and areas around Amboseli and Tsavo East National Parks.
The findings are contained in a paper entitled "Enhancing hotspot mapping of the illegal wild meat trade in Kenya through market surveys and confiscated meat analysis".
The paper was presented at the inaugural Wildlife Scientific Conference in Naivasha town.
"One of the main reasons for the bushmeat trade is its proximity to major cities like Nairobi and Nakuru, which have ready markets," said WRTI researcher Dr Moses Otiende.
He revealed that giraffe meat is in high demand, probably because of its size and cultural factors.
The National Wildlife Census of 2021 showed that Kenya had an estimated population of 34,240 giraffes, of which the Maasai Nubian and Reticulated giraffes comprised 13,530, 970 and 19,740 animals respectively.
"Our data also showed that market surveys alone cannot reflect the presence of wildlife products and possible biodiversity loss," said Dr Otiende.
The researcher observed an increase in bushmeat consumption during the Covid-19 pandemic, but scientists are particularly concerned that even after the disease has subsided, poaching and the bushmeat trade are still rampant.
