About CABAG

The Central Africa Bushmeat Action Group (CABAG) represents a network of partner organizations with extensive experience implementing conservation actions to address the threat of the commercial bushmeat trade across Central Africa . Currently, these include; the Last Great Ape Organization (LAGA), TL2 Project, Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program (BBPP), Gabon Community Wildlife Project, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Organisation Ecotouristique du Lac Oguemoue (OELO), the Garoua Wildlife College (EFG), Action for Pangolin Conservation (APAC), and the MENTOR-POP (Progress on Pangolins) Program. This number is expected to grow.

CABAG will unite a community of conservation practitioners and coordinate efforts to address the threat of an increasingly unsustainable commercial bushmeat trade while raising the international, regional, and national awareness of the impact of the commercial bushmeat trade on people and wildlife. This project is intended to better prevent legally protected species from entering commercial bushmeat trade by working with policy makers and collaborating with a network of field projects. Specific activities involve:

1. International representation:

Promote a unified voice for Central Africa’s wildlife and influence international policies by participating at international policy meetings where bushmeat issues will be discussed, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

2. Regional coordination:

• Participate at sub-regional meetings where bushmeat issues will be discussed, including the Central Africa Forest Commission (COMIFAC) and Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) meetings.
• Organize an annual CABAG Meeting to bring representatives from the member organizations/projects to exchange information, strategize, plan policy positions, develop recommendations, and determine messaging for key decision-makers.
• Visit member project sites to learn more about field projects, learn more about bushmeat policies in respective countries, and share lessons learned from each project with the wider network.

3. National implementation:

• Assist CABAG members with national initiatives
• Develop training modules on bushmeat/wildlife for local law enforcement officials (e.g. lawyers, magistrates, wardens and rangers), pilot test modules in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and develop a set of key recommendations and materials for regional partners to improve wildlife law enforcement in COMIFAC countries, based on the lessons learned from the pilot test