Examining the international bushmeat traffic in Belgium: A threat to conservation and public health
The carriage of bushmeat into the European Union is an infringement of EU Animal Health and Wildlife Trade legislation and poses a threat to biodiversity and public health. To explore the nature and scale of the international bushmeat trade, seized leaking luggage and passengers arriving at Brussels...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-12-01
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| Series: | One Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771423001258 |
| _version_ | 1797394904754683904 |
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| author | Anne-Lise Chaber Georgia Kate Moloney Veronique Renault Sandrella Morrison-Lanjouw Mutien Garigliany Lucette Flandroy Daniel Pires Valeria Busoni Claude Saegerman Philippe Gaubert |
| author_facet | Anne-Lise Chaber Georgia Kate Moloney Veronique Renault Sandrella Morrison-Lanjouw Mutien Garigliany Lucette Flandroy Daniel Pires Valeria Busoni Claude Saegerman Philippe Gaubert |
| author_sort | Anne-Lise Chaber |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The carriage of bushmeat into the European Union is an infringement of EU Animal Health and Wildlife Trade legislation and poses a threat to biodiversity and public health. To explore the nature and scale of the international bushmeat trade, seized leaking luggage and passengers arriving at Brussels Zaventem airport from sub-Saharan Africa between 2017 and 2018 were searched for “meat” (bushmeat and livestock) by border control authorities. Visual identification, radiography and genetic analysis were applied to derive information from seized specimens, including at least ten CITES-listed species. We estimate that an average of 3.9 t of bushmeat is smuggled monthly through Brussels. The average consignment of meat seized per passenger was 2.8 kg and 4 kg of bushmeat or domestic livestock meat, respectively. The international trafficking of bushmeat is evidently active, yet penalties are rarely enforced; hence we provide suggestions to simplify law enforcement procedures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:26:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9e7b7d4e3f5549dab9c4829b95fcce62 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2352-7714 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:26:31Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | One Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-9e7b7d4e3f5549dab9c4829b95fcce622023-12-12T04:35:07ZengElsevierOne Health2352-77142023-12-0117100605Examining the international bushmeat traffic in Belgium: A threat to conservation and public healthAnne-Lise Chaber0Georgia Kate Moloney1Veronique Renault2Sandrella Morrison-Lanjouw3Mutien Garigliany4Lucette Flandroy5Daniel Pires6Valeria Busoni7Claude Saegerman8Philippe Gaubert9School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Global One Health Alliance Pty Ltd, West Lakes Shore, SA 5021, Australia; Corresponding author at: The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy Campus, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Global One Health Alliance Pty Ltd, West Lakes Shore, SA 5021, AustraliaFaculty Veterinary Medicine of the University of Liège, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health, Avenue de Cureghem, 4000 Liège, BelgiumUniversity of Utrecht, Julius Center, Utrecht, The NetherlandsFaculty Veterinary Medicine of the University of Liège, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health, Avenue de Cureghem, 4000 Liège, BelgiumRetired from the Belgian Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment, DG Environment, BelgiumFaculty of Science, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 1021 1055, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, PortugalFaculty Veterinary Medicine of the University of Liège, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health, Avenue de Cureghem, 4000 Liège, BelgiumFaculty Veterinary Medicine of the University of Liège, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health, Avenue de Cureghem, 4000 Liège, BelgiumLaboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, IRD/CNRS/UPS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier – Bâtiment 4R1, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse cedex 9, France; Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, IRD/CNRS/UPS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier – Bâtiment 4R1, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse cedex 9, FranceThe carriage of bushmeat into the European Union is an infringement of EU Animal Health and Wildlife Trade legislation and poses a threat to biodiversity and public health. To explore the nature and scale of the international bushmeat trade, seized leaking luggage and passengers arriving at Brussels Zaventem airport from sub-Saharan Africa between 2017 and 2018 were searched for “meat” (bushmeat and livestock) by border control authorities. Visual identification, radiography and genetic analysis were applied to derive information from seized specimens, including at least ten CITES-listed species. We estimate that an average of 3.9 t of bushmeat is smuggled monthly through Brussels. The average consignment of meat seized per passenger was 2.8 kg and 4 kg of bushmeat or domestic livestock meat, respectively. The international trafficking of bushmeat is evidently active, yet penalties are rarely enforced; hence we provide suggestions to simplify law enforcement procedures.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771423001258AfricaBushmeatCITESEuropeIllegal wildlife trade |
| spellingShingle | Anne-Lise Chaber Georgia Kate Moloney Veronique Renault Sandrella Morrison-Lanjouw Mutien Garigliany Lucette Flandroy Daniel Pires Valeria Busoni Claude Saegerman Philippe Gaubert Examining the international bushmeat traffic in Belgium: A threat to conservation and public health One Health Africa Bushmeat CITES Europe Illegal wildlife trade |
| title | Examining the international bushmeat traffic in Belgium: A threat to conservation and public health |
| title_full | Examining the international bushmeat traffic in Belgium: A threat to conservation and public health |
| title_fullStr | Examining the international bushmeat traffic in Belgium: A threat to conservation and public health |
| title_full_unstemmed | Examining the international bushmeat traffic in Belgium: A threat to conservation and public health |
| title_short | Examining the international bushmeat traffic in Belgium: A threat to conservation and public health |
| title_sort | examining the international bushmeat traffic in belgium a threat to conservation and public health |
| topic | Africa Bushmeat CITES Europe Illegal wildlife trade |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771423001258 |
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