Meat Prices Influence The Consumption Of Wildlife

Research among 510 Tsimane’ Amerindians living in the rainforests of Bolivia show how the prices of game and meat from domesticated animals affect the consumption of game. The study revealed that the price of fish and meat from livestock is positively correlated with consumption of wildlife, suggesting that policy makers may be able to reduce the unsustainable hunting of wildlife for food by reducing the price of fish and meat from domesticated animals relative to that of wildlife.

Wildlife is the primary source of animal protein among rural and urban households in forested regions of poor nations. Hunting for food, rather than habitat loss, is the most significant threat to conservation of biological diversity over the next several decades. Theories state that the hunting of bushmeat is related to culture, though it is speculated that consumers respond to price, and bush meat is more affordable than domestic meat available in markets.

This analysis suggest that lowering the price of beef will have strong effects on the consumption of wildlife and fish. It also indicates that increasing consumer access to and reducing the price of domestically raised meat is likely to diminish demand for game meat and consequently reduce or halt the unsustainable hunting of wildlife.