Increase in wild animal consumption across Central Africa

Bessone, M., Ingram, Daniel J., Abernethy, Katharine, Abua, Sylvanus, Allebone-Webb, Sophie, Antonacci, Daniela, Kim, Riyong, Brittain, Stephanie, Cornelis, Daniel, Detoeuf, Diane, and others. (2026) Increase in wild animal consumption across Central Africa. Nature, . ISSN 0028-0836. (doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10422-w) (KAR id:113454)

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10422-w

Abstract

While human activities are driving widespread declines in wildlife populations1,2, in Central Africa, the meat of wild animals, or wild meat, represents a major component of the diets of millions of people3. To halt faunal degradation while ensuring sustainable use of wildlife, it is crucial to understand the scale and drivers of wild meat consumption. Here, using data from over 12,000 households from 252 locations in Central Africa, we show that wild meat is a fundamental component of the diets of rural populations, accounting for 20% of the recommended daily protein intake, compared with 13% and 6% for those living in towns and cities. We estimate that the total annual biomass of wild meat consumed in Central Africa increased from 0.73 million to 1.10 million tonnes between 2000 and 2022, with increasing demand from towns and cities. To ensure that wild meat is available to rural communities, in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals4 and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework5, reducing wild meat consumption in urban metropolises is key. While our results are based on the most comprehensive dataset available, the geographical coverage is incomplete and the dataset represents a minimal fraction of the entire population of Central Africa. Targeted studies are needed to validate our model and assess critical areas of intervention.

Item Type:	Article
DOI/Identification number:	10.1038/s41586-026-10422-w
Projects:	WILDMEAT
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation Q Science > QH Natural history > QH75 Conservation (Biology)
Institutional Unit:	Schools > School of Natural Sciences > Conservation Institutes > Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology
Former Institutional Unit:	There are no former institutional units.
Funders:	European Union (https://ror.org/019w4f821) United States Fish and Wildlife Service (https://ror.org/04k7dar27) Agence française de développement (https://ror.org/04tqhj682) UK Research and Innovation (https://ror.org/001aqnf71) Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (https://ror.org/0456r8d26) Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (https://ror.org/018mejw64)
Depositing User:	Daniel Ingram
Date Deposited:	17 Mar 2026 13:26 UTC
Last Modified:	30 Apr 2026 09:57 UTC
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/113454 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Ingram, Daniel J..

Creator's ORCID:	https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5843-220X
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Brittain, Stephanie.

Creator's ORCID:	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7865-0391
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

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