Bushmeat Hunting: A Challenge to Sustainable Ecotourism

Abstract

This paper offers a ground-breaking perspective on sustainable ecotourism. It argues that the animals in the wild have social, economic, aesthetic, psychological, ecological, medicinal and ecotourism functions. Incidental to or arising from this, hunting has become a threat to the animals in the wild. It is an unprecedented world-wide problem that has led to the extinction of several species. Hence, the necessity for the protection of wildlife from further threats. To this end, this study identifies the current barriers to sustainable wildlife management and conservation as inadequate environmental awareness and education, lack of progress in establishing national parks and gardens, ineffective legislation and weak judiciary, as well as socio-cultural and economic problems. Hence, this study recommends public enlightenment and education for the enhancement of public understanding and appreciation of wildlife, as well as implementation of environmental laws, biodiversity legislation, wildlife conservation acts and ecotourism policies. This paper concludes that bushmeat hunting should be controlled in order to save animals in the wild from further harassment, and for the attainment of sustainable ecotourism.

Keywords: Biodiversity, Conservation, Poaching, Tourism, Wildlife, Exploitation.