The markets in the Central African Republic offer all of the jungle's delicacies, including monkey, chimpanzee, antelope and, if you have the cash, even elephant. Hunters kill the elephants and cut off the ivory. Then, over grills fueled with green tree branches, they smoke the meat for a day, charring the outside to preserve it for the trip to town.
The main market is in Africa, where elephant meat is considered a delicacy and where increasing populations have increased demand.
Most people believe international demand for ivory is the biggest threat to elephants.
But while wildlife experts are meeting in the Netherlands through Saturday to discuss the ban on the ivory trade, forest elephants - perhaps the most endangered elephant species in the world - are being hunted to extinction not only for their tusks, but also for their meat.
"These elephants get poached a lot more than the eastern and southern African elephants," said Karl Amman, a wildlife photographer and investigator into the illegal trade in animals.
"I am convinced the poaching of forest elephants in the Central African region is for the meat, and ivory has become a byproduct."
Source: Cleverland
Image: Shooting Chris / Flickr
Tags: Elephant | Animal | Meat
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