Pangolin meat consumption drops as support for protection rises - study.

There has been a significant drop in consumption of Pangolin meat in the country as more Cameroonians are opting for alternative meat sources in support of the protection of the endangered animal.

The change in dietary patterns is according to a study conducted by a research company, the Cible Etudes & Conseil, and backed by another survey carried out by the environmental organisation, WildAid. 

According to a recent release issued by WildAid, about two-thirds of city and town dwellers are now support of the protection of pangolins following a survey conducted by Cible Etudes & Conseil in Yaoundé, Douala, Ebolowa, Bertoua and Mbalmayo.
The release indicated that in the past two years, the awareness of and support for the 2017 law banning the capture and killing of these endangered animals has risen sharply.

The study showed that the number of people who had consumed pangolin meat once a month or more frequently in the cities of Yaounde, Douala, Ebolowa and Mbalmayo, had dropped from 14.1% in 2022 to 10.3% in 2024 with a decline of 26.7%. 

Meanwhile, there was a slight rise in reported consumption in Bertoua over the period, but researchers said strict post-pandemic controls on bushmeat consumption remained in place in the city when the survey was conducted in 2022, not only depressing bushmeat consumption but making people reluctant
to admit to eating bushmeat at that time.

In addition, awareness of the law banning the capture and killing of pangolins has more than doubled in the past two years, from 28.9% in 2022 to 61.6% in 2024. The proportion of respondents in the survey, which agreed with the statement that the hunting and killing of pangolins should be forbidden rose from 56.4% to 67.0% over the same period.

 

Decline fruit of anti-consumption campaign launched 

The recent decline in the consumption of the pangolin meat has been attributed to the successful launch of a 2022 campaign to raise awareness about the 2017 law and about the threats facing pangolins. 

Launched by WildAid, in partnership with the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, MINFOF, the campaign was led by some leading musicians and footballers, like Patricl Mboma, Rigobert Song, Roger Milla, Stanley Enow, Locko, Petit Pays among others.

Together with some traditional leaders, the campaign ambassador had encouraged compatriots to “Say No to Pangolin Meat.”
Two years after the campaign, WildAid surveyed public opinion among over 500 respondents in the cities of Yaounde, Douala, Bertoua, Ebolowa and Mbalmayo, where pangolin meat consumption had been relatively high. But the new study showed an improvement in the trends.

Reacting to this development, the Africa programme manager at WildAid, Simon Denyer, said: “we are very encouraged to see the growing support for pangolin conservation and the decline in consumption of pangolin meat in Cameroon”.

He added that “creating a safe haven for pangolins in Cameroon is key to ensuring their survival in Africa, and this is a big step in the right direction”. 

 

Legislation on pangolin 
It is worth noting that the government of Cameroon has stepped up pangolin protection on the heels of a ban on international trade in pangolins under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Faunaand Flora, also known as CITES. 

Also, anyone found in possession of a pangolin or any part of the animal without a license is deemed to have captured or killed it, and could face a fine of 3 million to 10 million CFA and imprisonment of 1 to 3 years.
Enforcement of the law has equally been heightened with the raiding of the Nkolndongo market in Yaounde, one of the largest illegal bushmeat markets in the country. During the said raid on March 30, wildlife and law enforcement officials were able to rescue six life white-bellied pangolins and

one monitor lizard.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No3127 of Friday May 31, 2024