Exploring consumer preferences for wild meat and other animal proteins in Gamba, Gabon: Implications for conservation and management of natural resources alongside extractive industry

Abstract The town of Gamba in southwest Gabon represents an exceptional example of how the development of an extractive industry (in this case oil production) may impact wild meat consumption in an area of global importance for biodiversity. Studies in the 1990s identified an active wild meat trade; however, no studies have been undertaken since, and nothing is currently known about consumers' protein preferences. This knowledge is essential to manage protein resources and has key lessons for extractive industries and wild protein (meat and fish) more broadly. We interviewed 145 adults in Gamba from May to September 2022 to understand consumption of local fish, wild meat and livestock. Our data suggest that despite a long‐running and active wild meat trade in the town, this has not led to the collapse of local biodiversity, with many Critically Endangered and Endangered species of high conservation concern continuing to persist in the landscape. Fish was the most frequently consumed animal protein. Wild meat was eaten relatively infrequently, and there was no correlation between IUCN Red List status and price or preference, suggesting that consumers were not targeting species of high conservation concern. Imported frozen poultry was the second most frequently consumed animal protein. There was some evidence that younger consumers were eating wild meat more frequently. This is potentially concerning, as higher consumption rates among youth may increase the risks of unsustainable offtake in the future. Our findings suggest that preferences for, and good supplies of, fish likely play an important role in shaping local protein choices, with potential implications for the wild meat trade. Managing local fisheries to provide sustainable sources of affordable animal protein should be a priority. Importantly, the example of Gamba shows that development of extractive industries in highly biodiverse environments does not need to come at the cost of biodiversity through uncontrolled use of wild meat, and that adhering to Standards such as International Finance Corporation Performance Standard 6 can help mitigate both direct and indirect impacts of industrial development and promote biodiversity conservation. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.