Poaching techniques of Walter's Duiker (Philantomba walteri) in the forests of southern Benin

Abstract

Walter's duiker (Philantomba walteri) is an antelope species endemic to the Dahomey gap region. To date, little knowledge exists on the hunting of the species. The objective of this study is to collect information on the hunting techniques of this new species of antelope described by science. The semi-structured individual survey method was conducted with 340 people across 34 villages from February 2019 to January 2022. Focus and direct observation sessions were also carried out. The results obtained show that Walter's duiker is a species that is hunted in the forests in southern Benin, mainly for food and the use of these organs in traditional African medicine. Beaten hunting and stalking are practiced. The hunting tools used to poach Walter's duikers are shotgun (94.70%), traps (83.32%), snares (3.23%), and sometimes nets (1.76 %). In addition, three (3) uses are made of Walter's duikers poached in the forests of southern Benin. These are consumption with a proportion of (79%), sale (20%), and detention in captivity (1%). Similarly, Sixty percent (60%) of the local population buy the duiker meat from Walter slaughtered. They are followed by (30%) of local meat sellers and 10% of foreign people who buy this meat. For sustainable management of this population, it will be necessary to set up effective conservation programs.