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Wildlife is a critically important resource, meeting the food and liveli-hood requirements of human communities in many biodiversity-rich areas of the world. Wild meat is a significant source of easily accessible animal protein (often the only form of protein) for landless, rural peoples throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In the Malaysian state of Sarawak, 67% of the meals of Kelabits contain wild meat, and it is their main source of protein (Ben-nett et al. 2000). In Liberia, 75% of the country's meat derives from wild animals (Anstey 1991). There is also high economic value attached to the subsistence use of, and the commercial trade in, wild meat, making it an important source of livelihood for both rural and urban communities.

The value of wild meat harvested in the Amazon Basin exceeds US $175 million per year, and in Cote d'Ivoire, the value of meat eaten each year (about 80,000 metric tons) is esti-mated to …