A conservation organisation has raised an alarm over the rising cases of bush meat.
Ulinzi Africa Foundation Director Raabia Hawa said there has been a spike in bush meat cases, a move that could lead to the spread of Zoonotic diseases.
“Zoonotic disease is a documented threat to human and domestic animal health and life, and bush meat consumption remains not only a threat to health but also to biodiversity and ecosystems in Kenya,” Hawa said.
Bush meat, or wild meat, refers to the meat of terrestrial wild mammals hunted primarily for human consumption in tropical and subtropical regions.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 70 per cent of zoonotic disease spillover events have been associated with wildlife and bush meat.
It said bush meat remains a staple source of protein among low-economic rural communities, where alternative proteins can be scarce.
The CDC warns that hunting, preparing and selling bush meat has been associated with a high risk for zoonotic pathogen spillover due to contact with infectious materials from animals.
It said bush meat activities provide opportunities for repeated pathogen transmission between animals and humans, leading to outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics.
For instance, Ebola virus spillover events and subsequent outbreaks in the Congo Basin have been traced back to hunters who were exposed to ape carcasses.
Hawa said there have been several instances where arrests have been made with bush meat confiscated.
For instance, on June 6, a motorcyclist ferrying bush meat was intercepted along the Tulu-Airstrip route.
The move was a joint effort between the Ulinzi Africa Foundation and the Kenya Wildlife Service Tana Delta station.
The incident was in Garsen, Tana River county.
Following the incident, two suspects were arrested.
Three skinned Dikdik carcasses, porcupine meat, one panga, one knife, one improvised hooting horn, one torch and blood-stained clothes were recovered.
Hawa said the two suspects were escorted to the Garsen police station.
She said bush meat poaching is rife in Tana River county, with meat being traded as far as Kilifi.
Hawa said another incident took place last month.
She said a 37-year-old suspect was arrested in possession of a freshly killed female baboon.
The matter came up for sentencing at Mpeketoni law courts on May 24 after the suspect pleaded guilty.
The suspect was sentenced to one year of imprisonment.