Project type: Integrated

Impact of the monkeypox wildlife trading ban in Nigeria

The need

On 31 May 2022, the Nigerian government banned the sale of wild meat in response to the spread of monkeypox, a zoonotic disease primarily linked to rodents but also found in primates. While the ban aimed to curb disease transmission, its broader consequences on wildlife trade, hunting practices, and local livelihoods remain largely unknown.

Rodents and monkeys are two of the three most commonly hunted and traded mammals in Nigeria. If effectively enforced, the ban could significantly reduce the number of these animals being hunted and sold. However, such restrictions also pose social, cultural, and economic challenges for those who rely on wild meat as a source of income and nutrition. Understanding the real-world impacts of zoonosis-related bans is crucial for designing sustainable and effective public health and conservation policies.

Duration

2022

Location

Nigeria

What we’re doing

This project examines the effectiveness and consequences of Nigeria’s 2022 wild meat trade ban by:

1

Tracking trends in wild meat sales before and after the ban to assess its enforcement and impact.

2

Analysing shifts in hunting and trade practices to understand how hunters and traders adapt to restrictions.

3

Exploring social and cultural challenges faced by communities affected by the ban.

4

Informing policy responses by evaluating the feasibility and long-term effectiveness of wildlife trade bans in mitigating zoonotic spillovers.

The team

This project is a collaboration between:

CIFOR-ICRAF, University of Cambridge, University of Kent

Project leads:

Lauren Coad

l.coad@cifor-icraf.org

Charles Emogor

cae37@cam.ac.uk

Featured work

Weak compliance with Nigeria’s wildlife trade ban imposed to curb mpox spillovers

2025

Supporters

This project is supported by

Related projects

Unveiling the zoonotic dynamics of leprosy in Brazil: A molecular exploration and surveillance approach

Investigating how leprosy spreads between animals, humans, and the environment

SWM Programme – Guyana

Community-based wildlife management to ensure sustainable wild meat use, food security, and health

September 29, 2025
Pathobiome of wildlife in Brazil

The need

Wildlife plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems, but it can also serve as a reservoir for emerging pathogens that pose risks to both biodiversity and human health. Understanding how pathogens circulate in wildlife populations is essential for preventing disease spillover and protecting both ecosystems and human communities.

Brazil, with its vast biodiversity and expanding human-wildlife interfaces, presents a unique opportunity to study pathogen diversity, prevalence, and transmission dynamics. This project seeks to bridge gaps in our knowledge of wildlife disease ecology and zoonotic risks using biobanks of roadkill specimens throughout Brazil.

Duration

2023 – 2026

Location

Brazil

What we’re doing

This project analyses wildlife pathobiomes using roadkill specimens collected across 14 Brazilian states to investigate pathogen diversity and prevalence. Our key activities include:

1

Employing shotgun metagenomics to screen for a wide range of microorganisms, including previously unreported pathogens.

2

Mapping pathogen distribution across different ecosystems to understand regional patterns.

3

Examining ecological and socioeconomic factors that influence pathogen prevalence in wildlife populations.

4

Assessing zoonotic disease risks and their implications for conservation and public health.

The team

This project is a collaboration between:

CIFOR-ICRAF, Virginia Tech, University of Salford, University College London (UCL), Universidad ViaFauna, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Universidade de Campinas (UNICAMP), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), ViaFauna.

Project leads:

Willandia Chaves

wchaves@vt.edu

Naiara Sales

N.GuimaraesSales@salford.ac.uk

Hani R. El Bizri

h.bizri@cifor-icraf.org

Supporters

This project is supported by

Related projects

Sport hunting in Brazil: Patterns, challenges, and pathways to sustainable use

Understanding illegal sport hunting and its impacts across Brazil

SWM Programme – Cameroon

Community-based wildlife management to ensure sustainable wild meat use, food security, and health

September 29, 2025
Wild meat food systems in the Amazon

The need

For many Indigenous and rural communities across the Amazon, wild meat is not just a cultural tradition—it is a vital source of food security and nutrition. However, the scale and sustainability of wild meat harvests remain poorly understood, particularly as environmental changes, economic pressures, and conservation policies influence local livelihoods.

Reliable data on hunting practices, species harvested, and the nutritional contribution of wild meat is essential for developing policies that balance conservation with food security. This project provides critical insights to inform sustainable management strategies while ensuring the well-being of Amazonian communities.

Duration

2022 – Present

Location

Amazon Biome

What we’re doing

This project examines the geographic extent, volumes, and nutritional value of wild meat harvested for subsistence across the Amazon. Using an extensive dataset of 441,336 animals hunted in 560 localities, we are:

1

Estimating annual extraction rates to understand the amount of wild meat harvested in the biome.

2

Assessing the contribution of wild meat to local diets, focusing on macro- and micronutrient intake.

3

Analysing species composition in subsistence hunting practices across different Amazonian regions.

4

Exploring the implications of wild meat for food security and conservation, aiming to guide policies that support both community livelihoods and biodiversity conservation.

The team

This project is a collaboration between leading conservation and research organizations, including:

CIFOR-ICRAF, REDEFAUNA, COMFAUNA, and Indigenous People and Local Communities representatives.

Project leads:

André Antunes

aapardalis@gmail.com

Hani R. El Bizri

h.bizri@cifor-icraf.org

Pedro Constantino

plconstantino@gmail.com

Supporters

This project is supported by

Related projects

Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme

A brighter future for people and wildlife

Unveiling the zoonotic dynamics of leprosy in Brazil: A molecular exploration and surveillance approach

Investigating how leprosy spreads between animals, humans, and the environment

September 29, 2025
Unveiling the zoonotic dynamics of leprosy in Brazil: A molecular exploration and surveillance approach

The need

Leprosy remains a public health concern in the tropical Americas, with growing evidence that it may not only be transmitted from human to human but also through interactions with wildlife and the environment. The role of armadillos and other animal species as potential reservoirs of Mycobacterium leprae raises questions about how the disease spreads and persists in different regions. However, there is still limited understanding of these zoonotic pathways and their implications for disease control.

This project seeks to uncover the complex transmission dynamics of leprosy by combining cutting-edge molecular techniques (e.g Nanopore) with field-based surveillance and spatial modelling. The findings will contribute to improved public health policies and better strategies to mitigate the risks of zoonotic disease transmission.

Duration

2024 – 2027

Location

Brazil

What we’re doing

This project integrates molecular diagnostics (qPCR) with advanced sequencing technologies (Illumina and Nanopore) to investigate leprosy transmission in Brazil. Our key activities include:

1

Detecting mycobacteriosis in armadillos to assess their role as disease reservoirs.

2

Analysing genetic relatedness of M. leprae strains across humans, armadillos, and environmental samples to track transmission pathways.

3

Exploring antimicrobial resistance in M. leprae strains to support treatment strategies.

4

Collaborating with local communities and organisations to strengthen disease surveillance and control efforts.

5

Transferring knowledge and technology to scientists in tropical areas for the use of real-time portable sequencing devices in the field for disease surveillance.

The team

This project brings together researchers from multiple institutions, including:

CIFOR-ICRAF, University of Salford, University of Malaga, University College London (UCL), Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), Virginia Tech, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Centro Universitário Aparício Carvalho, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso, Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, ICAS.

Project leads:

Naiara Sales

N.GuimaraesSales@salford.ac.uk

Hani R. El Bizri

h.bizri@cifor-icraf.org

Supporters

This project is supported by

Related projects

Impact of the monkeypox wildlife trading ban in Nigeria

Assessing the effectiveness and social impacts of wildlife trade bans

Sport hunting in Brazil: Patterns, challenges, and pathways to sustainable use

Understanding illegal sport hunting and its impacts across Brazil

September 26, 2025
Sport hunting in Brazil: Patterns, challenges, and pathways to sustainable use

The need

Sport hunting is a complex and often controversial topic in Brazil. While some forms of hunting are legally permitted, sport hunting remains illegal but widespread and poorly understood. Uncovering its patterns, drivers, and ecological impacts is crucial for informing conservation strategies and sustainable resource management. However, limited data on illegal hunting activities makes it difficult to assess the full extent of its impact on biodiversity and local ecosystems.

In this project, we are analysing social media data to shed light on the scale and dynamics of illegal sport hunting in Brazil, providing valuable insights to support policy development and conservation efforts.

Duration

2020 – Current

Location

Brazil

What we’re doing

This project investigates the geographical distribution and impacts of illegal sport hunting across Brazil using social media data. Our key activities include:

1

Mapping hunting events across different regions to understand where illegal hunting is most prevalent.

2

Analysing hunting yields to assess the number and types of species targeted, and how many of them are categorised as threatened with extinction.

3

Examining changes in species composition over time due to defaunation and hunting pressure.

4

Assessing the socioeconomic, environmental and political drivers of illegal sport hunting across the country.

5

Exploring pathways to sustainable use by identifying potential management strategies for wildlife conservation and legal hunting practices.

The team

This project is a collaboration between multiple institutions, including:

CIFOR-ICRAF, University of Oxford, Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, REDEFAUNA, University College London (UCL), Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, Living Gaia e.V. Berlin, University of Kent, University of Salford, The Nature Conservancy, Wild Animal Conservation Institute (ICAS), Houston Zoo, Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas (IPÊ), The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Instituto Juruá, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Oxford Brookes University, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Embrapa Pantanal, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso.

Project lead:

Hani R. El Bizri

h.bizri@cifor-icraf.org

Featured work

Using Facebook to expose illegal sport hunting in Brazil

11 September 2025

Climate determines transmission hotspots of Polycystic Echinococcosis, a life-threatening zoonotic disease, across Pan-Amazonia

2023

Exposing illegal hunting and wildlife depletion in the world’s largest tropical country through social media data

2024

Supporters

Related projects

WILDMEAT project

Evidence-based approaches to sustainable wild meat management

Disease transmission and wild meat food chain: From forest to fork in Cameroon

Understanding and reducing zoonotic risks in wild meat supply chains

September 11, 2025