Bushmeat trade in northern Ghana 221
FIG. 3 Characteristics and compositions (per cent of the total number of carcasses) of bushmeat recorded in the three markets, by taxonomic group.
Determinants of the numbers of bushmeat carcasses recorded
FIG. 2 (a) Number of carcasses and (b) biomass of bushmeat recorded in the three markets (Fig. 1) during the study period, grouped by taxonomic groups.
preferences of customers, traders or hunters. Amphibian trade also varied between markets: the trade in Fumbisi and Sandema was dominated by amphibians, but trade in amphibians was absent in Chiana (Fig. 3). Where amphibians were traded, they were available in
large numbers. During the study, totals of 5,289 and 3,231 frogs, accounting for 80 and 89% of total trade (in terms of individual carcasses), were recorded in Fumbisi and Sandema, respectively. There was seasonal variation in this trade, with a peak during the dry season. This trend was seen in trade in general, with the majority (76%) of the trade by carcass number recorded during the dry season, corresponding to 75% of the total biomass. This seasonal difference was observed across all three markets. Generally, Sandema traded mainly in small-bodied spe-
cies, largely amphibians, lagomorphs and rodents. Sandema accounted for only 7% of ungulate carcasses and primates were absent. The trade in Chiana was dominated by larger- bodied animals. Aardvarks Orycteropus afer, African buffa- lo, olive baboon and roan antelope were recorded exclusive- ly in Chiana. The majority of the primates (90 of 134; 67%) and ungulates (43 of 73; 59%) were recorded in Chiana (Fig. 3), with primates comprising the bulk of the trade by carcass number in this market (50% of the animals recorded).
Variations between markets in numbers of carcasses traded per survey day were further highlighted in the results from the generalized linear models (Table 2). Whether or not amphibians were included, the modelled estimates of the numbers of carcasses sold in Chiana per survey day were significantly lower than those in the other two markets (trade volumes were 4.78 times and 0.24 times higher in Fumbisi and Sandema, respectively). Overall, carnivores followed by ungulates were the least traded species group. Fewer carcasses were sold in the wet season than in the dry season. These results were similar whether or not am- phibians were included in the analysis, although the effects of market and season were more pronounced with the inclusion of amphibians (Table 2). Model outputs also reflected the observed seasonal trends
across all three markets (Poisson generalized linear model analysis of deviance; χ(1,324) = 10.90,P,0.01). These differ- ences were evident even with the exclusion of amphibians from the analysis (Poisson generalized linear model analysis of deviance; χ(1,283) = 10.32,P,0.01). Estimates from the generalized linear model demonstrated that a mean of 57.4% fewer animals were traded in the wet season (Table 2).
Price of bushmeat
Bushmeat was sold in various forms. Smaller-sized species such as birds, reptiles, lagomorphs and rodents were sold as whole carcasses, whereas frogs were sold in bundles com- prising 7–25 whole carcasses. Larger species were butchered and sold as pieces. The prices of mammal species ranged
Oryx, 2023, 57(2), 216–227 © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Fauna & Flora International doi:10.1017/S0030605322000096
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