An investigation of the determinants of household demand for bushmeat in the Serengeti using an open-ended choice experiment

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to thank the enumerators for their help with data collection, all study participants, and Dennis Rentsch and Deborah Randall for their advice on the design of the survey. This paper originates in a research project " Hunting for Sustainability " supported by the European Commission under the 7 th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. EJMG's involvement is a contribution to Imperial College's Grand Challenges in Ecosystems and the Environment initiative. Abstract Illegal hunting for bushmeat is regarded as an important cause of biodiversity decline in Africa. We use a stated preferences method to obtain information on determinants of demand for bushmeat in villages around the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. We estimate the effects of changes in the own price of bushmeat and in the prices of two substitute protein sources – fish and chicken. Promoting the availability of protein substitutes at lower prices would be effective at reducing pressures on wildlife. Supply-side measures that raise the price of bushmeat would also be effective.