This study looks for the first time at the extent to which terrestrial animals protected by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) are being impacted by wild meat taking, trade and consumption. It contributes to the implementation of a decision adopted by the CMS Conference of the Parties in 2020 (CMS Decision 13.109). We assessed the direct and indirect impacts of wild meat taking, trade and consumption of 105 terrestrial mammal species listed in the CMS Appendices I and II and relevant CMS daughter agreements and initiatives. We first used a systematic review of the published literature, global database searches and the IUCN Red List to determine which CMS species are affected by wild meat hunting. We then reviewed the legislation applicable to the regulation of wild meat hunting and trade and explored the application of hunting legislation using a national case study example. Finally, we examined the known linkages between zoonotic diseases and wild meat use and trade.
We concluded that a large proportion of the CMS species considered in this report are affected by wild meat hunting. The literature review found that 64% of the 105 reviewed CMS terrestrial mammal species are recorded as hunted. When Chiroptera (bat) species are removed from the analysis, this increases to 98% (47/48) of species. 70% of CMS terrestrial mammal species are hunted for wild meat consumption and 60% are recorded as traded (nationally and/or internationally; legally or illegally). Similarly, global database records of wild meat hunting and trade show that 51% of the CMS terrestrial mammal species are recorded as hunted or traded legally or illegally.