The BeninBushmeat – Novel Pathogens at Wildlife Markets in Benin project combined virological surveillance, social science research, capacity development, and policy dialogue within a One Health framework to better understand and address zoonotic risks linked to bushmeat trade in Benin. Implemented through collaboration between Charité Berlin, the Centre de Recherche Entomologique de Cotonou (CREC), Freie Universität Berlin, and Universität Bayreuth, the project aimed to strengthen local surveillance capacities while generating evidence for culturally sensitive and biodiversity-conscious risk reduction strategies. 

Key achievements include: 

• Collection of 717 wildlife specimens across 11 species from multiple regions in Benin, significantly exceeding the original project target.  

• Detection of zoonotic viruses of public health relevance, including henipaviruses and rubulaviruses in straw-coloured fruit bats (Eidolon helvum), highlighting potential spillover risks at the human–wildlife interface.  

• Implementation and transfer of multipathogen molecular diagnostic workflows as well as laboratory training for local personnel at CREC, contributing to sustainable local surveillance and early warning capacities.  

• Integration of comprehensive social science research examining hunting practices, bushmeat trade networks, governance structures, cultural perceptions of disease, and the socioeconomic drivers behind wildlife trade and consumption.  

• Findings showed that bushmeat trade in Benin is deeply embedded in livelihood systems, cultural practices, and informal trade networks, requiring context-specific and participatory approaches rather than purely restrictive interventions.  

• The research also highlighted the erosion of traditional wildlife protection mechanisms and increasing urban demand for bushmeat, contributing to biodiversity loss and challenges for regulation and traceability.  

• Local understandings of disease risks linked to wildlife were identified as important entry points for culturally sensitive health communication and prevention measures.  

• A multi-stakeholder workshop held in Cotonou in March 2025 brought together representatives from government ministries, forestry authorities, researchers, hunters’ associations, and community actors to discuss findings and jointly formulate recommendations for future action.  

Main outcome: 

The project generated the first integrated One Health evidence base on zoonotic risks associated with bushmeat markets in Benin by combining large-scale wildlife pathogen surveillance, social science analysis, and capacity strengthening. It identified the presence of zoonotic viruses of public health relevance in wildlife (including henipaviruses and rubulaviruses in fruit bats), while simultaneously documenting the socioeconomic, cultural, and governance drivers sustaining the bushmeat trade. 

Beyond scientific findings, the project significantly strengthened local laboratory and surveillance capacities at Centre de Recherche Entomologique de Cotonou (CREC), and translated results into policy-relevant insights through stakeholder engagement, including a multi-sector workshop in Cotonou. 

Overall, the main outcome is a strengthened evidence base and local capacity for early detection and risk-informed management of zoonotic spillover risks at the human–wildlife interface, alongside concrete recommendations for more culturally sensitive, participatory, and biodiversity-conscious risk reduction strategies.