dous. They are being killed off at an alarming rate. Poachers proudly display their piles of freshly killed meat along the sides of the roads. Safari-hunters go out for a wildlife free-for-all disregarding the laws about any of the animals they kill. The “bush meat”, which is another name for meat from the rainforests, is a big demand in big cities. Poaching and trading of “bush meat” is a big business and involves all the layers of the society. Commercial hunters act as rulers of the forest and burn any native villages that get in there way. The local natives are even engaged in poaching, but the new settlers have a much greater impact on the killing of protected wildlife. Logging companies and agencies assist in the trade of “bush meat”. Their workers rely on “bush meat” since no other food is supplied by their employers. Logging roads boost “bush meat” trade, providing the means the means to get poachers and hunters into remote areas of the forest. The trucks are an efficient means of transport. Poachers hide the carcasses of their animals under canvasses on logging trucks. Commercial hunting of “bush meat” is ten times greater than that done by local hunters. Some of the high marketed items of the rainforest are live young gorillas and chimpanzees, ivory, and leopard and bongo skins.Today, snares are mainly used to catch animals of the rainforest. Years ago, natural fibers were used in the construction of these snares, only allowing the capture of small animals. Currently, snares are being made with bicycle wire, easily killing or injuring large animals. These snares kill and injure many fully protected wildlife. Daily inspection of these traps is impossible. One tour into the woods can take two to three days, sometimes up to a week. “Ecologists are very concerned about the loss of diversity in ecosystems on two accounts. First there is...
