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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Conserv. Sci.
Sec. Conservation Social Sciences
Volume 5 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fcosc.2024.1401308
This article is part of the Research Topic Advancing the Science of Environmental Justice in the International Wildlife Trade View all articles

Word Count: [4,954] Wildlife Trade Dynamics: Exploring Bushmeat Market with a View Toward Social and Ecological Justice in Ibadan Metropolis Nigeria

Provisionally accepted
Bright O. Olunusi Bright O. Olunusi 1,2*
  • 1 Boston University, Boston, United States
  • 2 University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo, Nigeria

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This study examines the bushmeat trade in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria, through the lens of environmental justice, focusing on sustainable livelihoods and wildlife conservation. Environmental justice in this context seeks to ensure fair economic opportunities for bushmeat marketers, predominantly women (93%), while protecting vulnerable wildlife species. The surveyed marketers-90% of whom were married-face social inequalities, with only 50% having secondary education and 10% lacking formal education. Most marketers sell bushmeat to household consumers and travelers, raising concerns about the potential spillover of wildlife products beyond Nigeria's borders, with implications for conservation and zoonotic disease risks.ANOVA results show that greater experience leads to higher profits from species like grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus; P = 0.005) and nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus; P = 0.001). As key species such as west african crocodile (Crocdylus suchus), african leopard (Panthera pardus), and ground pangolin (Manis temminckii) decline in availability in traditional hunting grounds, this study emphasizes the urgent need for conservation policies that promote sustainable trade practices and provide alternative livelihoods. These strategies would advance the science of environmental justice by reducing pressure on wildlife (ecological justice) while ensuring stable incomes for marketers (social justice).

    Keywords: biodiversity loss, Bushmeat trade, conservation policy, environmental justice, Market dynamics, Sustainable livelihood

    Received: 15 Mar 2024; Accepted: 24 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Olunusi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Bright O. Olunusi, Boston University, Boston, United States

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.