Some conservationists argue, wildlife farming can protect endangered species from extinction by reducing the pressure on populations of wild animals which are often
poached for food.[4] Others claim that it may be harmful for the majority of conservation efforts, except for a select few species.[3]
Certain African communities rely on
bushmeat to obtain their daily amount of animal protein necessary to be healthy and survive.[5] Oftentimes, bushmeat is not handled with care causing the spread of diseases. Wildlife farming can reduce the spread of diseases by providing African communities with bushmeat that is properly processed.[4]
In his documentary film The End of Eden, South African filmmaker
Rick Lomba, presented examples of the environmentally sustainable and indeed rejuvenating effect of certain types of wildlife farming.[6]
Associated risks
Wildlife farming has been linked to the emergence of
zoonotic diseases, such as the
SARs outbreak which has since been connected with the farming of civets.[7]
Current state of the industry
In recent years, South Africa has seen a massive growth in wildlife ranching (also known as
game farming), which has led to a range of issues due to a lack of regulations.[8] This has led to the reclassification of 33 wild species as farm animals.[9]
As a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 20,000 wildlife farms have been shut-down in China. In the preceding years, the Chinese government had been promoting and incentivizing the development of the wildlife farming industry, which was valued as 520bn yuan, or £57bn, in 2017.[10]
^Damania, Richard; Bulte, Erwin H. (2007). "The economics of wildlife farming and endangered species conservation". Ecological Economics. 62 (3–4): 461–472.
doi:
10.1016/j.ecolecon.2006.07.007.
^P, Chardonnet; B, des Clers; J, Fischer; R, Gerhold; F, Jori; F, Lamarque (Apr 2002).
"The Value of Wildlife". Revue Scientifique et Technique (International Office of Epizootics). 21 (1): 15–51.
PMID11974626. Retrieved 2020-06-04.