SNARE HUNTING AMONG BAKA HUNTER-GATHERERS : IMPLICATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

Diversity in hunting methods has been reported among the Mbuti net hunters in Ituri in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, among the Baka hunters in southeastern Cameroon, who currently practice snare hunting as their principal method, and among other hunter-gatherers in central African forests. Although forest duikers are the main targets of all of these hunters, different species of duikers are captured by different methods. Blue duikers (Philantomba monticola) weighing about 4–5 kg comprise the majority of the Mbuti's net-hunting harvests, whereas red duikers (in particular, Cephalophus callipygus and C. dorsalis) weighing about 15–20 kg are the major catch in Baka snare hunting. The density of duikers in each area is reflected in the rate of captures : the density of blue duikers is higher in the forests used by Mbuti net hunters, and red duikers are more abundant in the Baka area. Thus, it is likely that the relative abundance of each species is one of the major contributors to the selection of an efficient hunting method. Indeed, non-traditional methods may be selected as a result of adaptation to ecological conditions, the availability of hunting tools, and the changing role of hunting in the livelihoods of hunters. An understanding of the context in which hunting methods are selected is needed to design an effective wildlife management plan that is acceptable to the local people who depend on hunting for their livelihood