Reptiles and amphibians as bushmeat in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

0457512 - ÚBO 2016 eng A - Abstract
Gvoždík, Václav - Kusamba, C. - Collet, M. - Kielgast, J. - Nagy, Z. T.
Reptiles and amphibians as bushmeat in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Zoologické dny České Budějovice 2016: sborník abstraktů z konference 11.-12. února 2016. Brno: Ústav biologie obratlovců AV ČR, 2016 - (Bryja, J.; Sedláček, F.; Fuchs, R.). s. 71. ISBN 978-80-87189-20-7.
[Zoologické dny. 11.02.2016-12.02.2016, České Budějovice]
Institutional support: RVO:68081766
Keywords : reptiles * amphibians * Democratic Republic of the Congo
Subject RIV: EG - Zoology

Diverse Central African ecosystem resources are heavily harvested. Bushmeat, or meat from non-domesticated tetrapod vertebrates hunted for food, is one of the identified significant threats to the wildlife beside habitat loss. Recently, many studies in Central and West African countries have been focusing on this problem. However, reptiles and amphibians are usually considered only marginally, if ever. Here, we attempt to summarize knowledge on the reptile and amphibian fauna harvested for bushmeat, or alternatively for traditional medicine and ritual or ornamental purposes in the DR Congo. We collected information from villagers and retailers during numerous field and market surveys in various parts of the country. The most harvested species is probably the African rock python (Python sebae) together with large-bodied vipers (Bitis), monitor lizards (Varanus), crocodilians, turtles and tortoises. Amphibians are not so commonly consumed, except for larger-bodied ranoid frogs (e.g. Ptychadena, Hoplobatrachus) and clawed frogs (Xenopus) recorded as the most frequently harvested amphibian representatives. Many of the harvested species have semi-aquatic lifestyle allowing established fishing techniques to hunt them, mainly using nets (e.g. water snakes). River turtles are often captured using a fishing rod fixed in the river bottom overnight with a piece of fish as bait, which is also the case of forest dwarf crocodiles (Osteolaemus). Sometimes, dwarf crocodiles are also trapped by wire or string snares. Large-bodied crocodiles (Crocodylus and Mecistops) are more commonly directly speared or shot during a night hunt. This preliminary survey indicates that also the reptilian ‘megafauna’ in the Congo Basin might substantially suffer from hunting similarly like mammals or birds. Together with habitat loss, harvesting for bushmeat might negatively affect especially reptiles with slow reproduction cycle such as turtles or crocodilians.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0257903