Exploring the bushmeat market in Brussels, Belgium: a clandestine luxury business

The European Union prohibits the import of meat (products) unless specifically authorised and certified as being eligible for import. Nevertheless, various scientific papers report that passengers from west and central African countries illegally import large quantities of meat, including bushmeat,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biodiversity and conservation 2021-01, Vol.30 (1), p.55-66
Main Authors: Gombeer, Sophie, Nebesse, Casimir, Musaba, Prescott, Ngoy, Steve, Peeters, Marc, Vanderheyden, Ann, Meganck, Kenny, Smitz, Nathalie, Geers, Frank, Van Den Heuvel, Sarah, Backeljau, Thierry, De Meyer, Marc, Verheyen, Erik
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Airports
Biodiversity
Biodiversity exploitation and use
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts
Conservation Biology/Ecology
Cultural heritage
Cytochrome
DNA
Domestication
Ecology
Endangered & extinct species
Expatriates
Focus groups
Food
Grocery stores
Imports
International economic relations
International trade
Internet resources
Life Sciences
Livestock
Meat
Meat industry
Original Paper
Prices and rates
Pricing
Scientific papers
Wildlife conservation
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Summary:The European Union prohibits the import of meat (products) unless specifically authorised and certified as being eligible for import. Nevertheless, various scientific papers report that passengers from west and central African countries illegally import large quantities of meat, including bushmeat, into Europe via its international airports. They also suggest that African bushmeat is an organised luxury market in Europe. In the present study we explore several aspects of the African bushmeat market in Brussels, Belgium. We demonstrate the clandestine nature of this market where bushmeat is sold at prices at the top of the range of premium livestock and game meat. Inquiries among central and western African expatriates living in Belgium, who frequently travel to their home countries, indicate that the consumption of bushmeat is culturally driven by the desire to remain connected to their countries of origin. DNA-based identifications of 15 bushmeat pieces bought in Brussels, reveal that various mammal species, including CITES-listed species, are being sold. Moreover, we find that several of these bushmeat pieces were mislabelled.
ISSN:0960-3115
1572-9710
DOI:10.1007/s10531-020-02074-7