West Africa
The disappearance of much of West Africa’s wildlife shows us what can happen if the commercial trade in bushmeat is allowed to spiral out of control. Most West African countries have relatively high human population densities in comparison to the countries of the Congo Basin, with between 25 and 78 people per km2. The commercial bushmeat trade has reduced wildlife populations to such an extent that bushmeat no longer forms an important part of the diet in West Africa.
The depletion of wildlife follows a similar pattern in each case; first the larger animals, such as primates and large antelopes, are hunted to extirpation, leaving only smaller antelopes, porcupines and other species for hunters. Eventually, these smaller species are also hunted out, leaving only the smallest mammals and rodents.
The loss of animal species due to hunting may have cascading effects on ecology of the forest. For example, as their prey base is depleted, the abundance of carnivore populations will also fall. If seed-dispersing species are extirpated, forest composition and structure could be altered for lack of regeneration, changing the shape of the forest forever.