Recreational Hunting in Africa: “Meat” or “Poison” for Local Community

Recreational hunting is one of the oldest known tourism activities using wildlife. Leader-Williams (2009) defined recreational hunting as the hunting where the hunter or hunters pursue their quarry for recreation or pleasure. Same as in colonial period, hunters, mainly from Europe and U.S.A., range over hill and dale in developing country to obtain trophy of big game and their pleasure.

Some researchers have suggested that controlled recreational hunting can benefit the development of local communities, thereby promoting the protection of wildlife resources as well as both ecological and economic sustainability. However, important debates remain regarding the social impacts of conservation and tourism on local communities.

This presentation aimed to introduce  a social impact of recreational hunting on local community in Cameroon. Approximately two years of fieldwork, mainly based on interviews and observations, showed that recreational hunting in North Province, Cameroon generated tax revenues of approximately 0.9 million US dollars in 2009/2010, that is, 200 times as large as than safari in National parks did in the same year. A part of economical benefits shared with local communities as profit sharing and employment opportunities. However, the local inhabitants were affected by regulations of their rights to use natural resources. Moreover, some0 villages experienced forced migration because of the beginning of hunting tourism in this area.

Recreational hunting brings to local community not only positive impacts such as profit sharing and employment opportunity, but also negative one as control of the livelihoods of local people and forced migration. Even if recreational hunting can play an important role in community conservation and wildlife conservation with its great economic benefit, the independence of local people and their connection with wildlife should be considered to re-conceptualize "Sustainability".