Archive Interview - Anthony L. Rose, Ph.D.,
Executive Director of The Biosynergy Institute and founder
of The Bushmeat Project:
Cool Green World: Can you explain what the crux of the
bushmeat problem is?
Tony Rose: The bushmeat crisis is an inevitable outcome
of the burgeoning exploitation of Africa by outsiders. European
industrialists and other world traders regard the equatorial
rain forests as a resource to be used for their private
and corporate product and profit. African timber, oil, minerals,
and workers are being gobbled up to feed the economies of
other continents. It's a "take as much as I can" attitude.
That translates on the ground into setting up a logging
town of 3 or 4 thousand city-born African nationals deep
in the forest and trucking in commercial game hunters to
provide them with the rain forest equivalent of fast food
-- bushmeat. High calorie, tasty and expensive, but easy
to hunt and deliver now that the roads and guns and trucks
are in place. So the crux of the problem is greed. But a
corollary is fear. Those who rely on these industries are
afraid to challenge them. That includes conservationists
and government workers, as well as the people working in
the resource extraction industries. So there has been a
lot of denial, or just plain ducking the issue. Till now.
cool green world: How serious a threat is this problem
to gorillas, chimpanzees and other species?
Tony Rose: The wildlife is at great risk. Duiker, monkey,
river hog, porcupine -- these animals are being killed by
the thousands, tens of thousands. Whole communities are
wiped out along forest roads, from trailheads as far in
as the hunting teams need to trek to fill their packs. It
is misleading to talk about species -- everything that walks
or climbs in thousands of ecosystems is being devoured.
This includes extremely endangered animals like the giant
pangolin, and threatened animals like forest elephants,
gorillas, chimpanzees, and even bonobo. In the southeast
of Cameroon a study revealed 800 gorillas killed and butchered
last year -- 20% of those estimated to live in the territory.
We are projecting at least 2,000 gorillas and 4,000 chimpanzees
will be slaughtered for bushmeat this year. That's more
than all the African apes kept in the zoos and laboratories
of North America. We could be wrong. It could be more.
cool green world: How did you become involved in the
issue?
Tony Rose: I've been writing about the relationship of
humanity and nature for a long time. My main focus has been
on the primate order, and our place in it. Three years ago
I began doing research aimed at changing values and attitudes
towards wildlife, and great apes in particular. After publishing
work on factors that influence Euro-American conservation
values, I was urged by friends to look at the value structures
of equatorial peoples. Jane Goodall suggested I go to Africa
to study the people who protect, live near, and hunt the
great apes. Then I got an e-mail from Karl Ammann, and learned
about the bushmeat crisis. Everything changed -- I went
to Cameroon to see for myself, attended the Bushmeat Conference
in Bertoua, interviewed hunters, foresters, conservationists,
researchers, and came back committed to bring the resources
of North America to bear on the problem. We founded The
Bushmeat Project as a focal point for this effort. It is
now my number one priority, and will continue to be, until
the tide is turned and the people of west and central Africa
have stopped eating apes.
cool green world: What do you see as the first steps
to achieving solutions to the problem?
Tony Rose: Major steps have already been taken. Thanks
in large part to Karl Ammann and the World Society for the
Protection of Animals (WSPA), the European Union and African
government leaders are all keenly aware of the bushmeat
crisis. Perhaps the most crucial step to date is the decision
of the European Forestry Stewardship Council to include
the protection of great apes and other threatened wildlife
as part of their timber certification process. Ammann and
WSPA investigators will join forestry teams to monitor logging
concessions in regions where bushmeat commerce is problematic.
But there is much more to do. Last month, at the International
Primatology Congress in Madison, Wisconsin,I laid out five
major elements in a total solution: Control and Reduce the
Bushmeat Trade, Develop and Provide Alternatives to Bushmeat,
Engender Wildlife Conservation Values, Establish Regional
Bushmeat Alternatives Programmes, Promote Global Awareness
and Support. Within those five elements are many tasks to
be done -- strategic planning, proposal development, fund
raising, media promotions & public involvement, partnership
building with African nationals and NGOs, conservation values
education, establishing wildlife rescue & education Centers,
assessing ethical factors, developing alternative food sources,
legal education and enforcement, effecting resource & economic
policy, monitoring bushmeat commerce.
The truth is, we are talking about the control, management
and transformation of a major commerce in a large region
of the world. In some areas people eat more bushmeat than
domestic meat. To turn that around is much more than conservation.
It has more to do with humans than wildlife. In fact that's
why I am in this -- I'm a social psychologist; spent two
decades in human organization development before I became
committed to wildlife conservation. It's a chance to put
my experience to work on what matters most.
cool green world: Do you think the bushmeat crisis can
be solved soon enough to prevent the practical extinction
of primates and other species in the exploited areas?
Tony Rose: At the current levels of energy and investment,
no. There will be some monkey species eaten to extinction
in this decade, unless drastic action is taken. In ten years
we could lose all the wild bonobos, in twenty the gorillas,
forty the chimpanzees. But again, we are already throwing
in the towel when we talk about extinction of species --
the worst case scenario. We must fight for preservation
of as many large and viable communities of animals in their
ecosystems as possible, from primates to pangolin. For the
animals, the biosphere, and for the future of humanity.
The Cameroon Forest Ministry wants to save 30% of its forests
for posterity -- a worthy target. But there are conservationists
who come back and say that's too much, not realistic --
we only need 10% to keep key species from extinction. I
say it's not too much for the real animals living in the
20% being written off, or the real people who can benefit
from the conservation of natural heritage. Let's help the
Cameroon government and people save a third of the rain
forest inside their borders and build a healthy economy
at the same time. Let's talk about thriving, not avoiding
extinction.
cool green world: What can people do to get involved?
Tony Rose: We need time, talent, and money. We are building
lists of potential contributors. The best thing to do now
is to let us know exactly what you can offer to meet this
crisis. If you have skills or experience in any area from
strategic planning to bushmeat monitoring, let us know.
We are just beginning to accept financial contributions
to The Bushmeat Project. The money can be earmarked for
one or more of the five areas mentioned above -- Control
the Trade, Develop Alternatives, Engender Conservation Values,
Establish Regional Programmes, Promote Global Support.
We also want you to keep informed, to talk and write about
the Bushmeat Crisis. Check in to the Bushmeat Project Web
page at http://biosynergy.org/bushmeat/ and send new information
and ideas to bushmeat@biosynergy.org or to The Bushmeat
Project, P. O. Box 488, Hermosa Beach, California 90254.
Most important of all -- work together, form partnerships,
be innovative and inclusive. This work cannot be done alone
or in conflict. We must collaborate to save the great apes.
Anthony L. Rose, Ph.D., Executive Director Biosynergy Institute,
The Bushmeat Project Web Page: http://biosynergy.org/bushmeat/
You can learn more about Tony Rose and his work at the
Biosynergy website. Go there now!
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