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.

Project Overview 

The project aimed to reduce the risk of pandemic emergence from wildlife trade by strengthening policy frameworks, improving cross-sector coordination, and promoting a One Health approach. Through consultations, research, and expert support, it identified legal and institutional gaps and developed targeted recommendations and tools for governments. 

Results & Outcomes by Country 

Bolivia 

• Conducted national assessments identifying significant policy and biosecurity gaps in wildlife trade. 

• Developed a toolkit for pandemic prevention at wildlife trade interfaces. 

• Produced a regulatory framework for zoonotic risk prevention. 

• Strengthened collaboration between human, animal, and environmental health sectors. 

Outcome: 
Improved legal and institutional basis for managing zoonotic risks and strengthened intersectoral coordination for health security. 

Guatemala 

• Identified legislative and coordination gaps in wildlife trade and zoonotic risk management. 

• Developed a biosecurity and wildlife management training programme. 

• Supported the creation of a Multisectoral One Health Technical Commission. 

• Initiated a sub-commission on wildlife trafficking and zoonoses. 

• Produced the country’s first zoonotic disease risk map. 

Outcome: 
Institutionalised One Health coordination mechanisms and strengthened national capacity for zoonotic risk assessment and prevention. 

Peru 

• Conducted risk analyses of diseases in wildlife trade chains (e.g. wild meat systems). 

• Systematised data on wildlife disease diagnostics and surveillance systems. 

• Facilitated multi-stakeholder consultations and workshops with strong government engagement. 

• Strengthened interinstitutional collaboration and data-sharing mechanisms. 

Outcome: 
Enhanced evidence base for policymaking, improved coordination, and elevated wildlife trade as a public health priority. 

Cross-Cutting Results (All Countries) 

• Identified major legislative and policy gaps in wildlife trade and zoonotic risk management. 

• Engaged 70+ key stakeholders and 250+ participants through consultations and workshops. 

• Strengthened multisectoral coordination across health, environment, and agriculture sectors. 

• Produced policy recommendations, technical reports, and training tools. 

• Raised awareness of pandemic risks linked to wildlife trade and promoted behavioural and policy change. 

Overall Impact 

The project laid the foundation for primary pandemic prevention by translating scientific evidence into policy recommendations and practical tools. It strengthened governance frameworks, fostered cross-sector collaboration, and supported countries in integrating One Health principles into legislation and decision-making processes, contributing to long-term global health security.

Project Overview 

The project strengthens sustainable wildlife and natural resource governance through the Legal Hub, an online platform providing access to statutory and customary laws, legal analyses, and diagnostics. It supports multi-stakeholder legal reform, promotes a One Health approach, and improves understanding of wildlife-related risks, including zoonotic diseases. 

Results & Outcomes by Country 

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 

• Developed the first national wildlife policy framework, addressing major legislative gaps. 

• Established a multi-stakeholder governance structure (taskforce and steering committee). 

• Produced a sectoral legal diagnostic report to guide policy decisions. 

• Drafted a Community-Based Surveillance (CBS) guide integrating wildlife, livestock, and public health systems. 

• Increased awareness of zoonotic risks in wild meat value chains and promoted safer practices. 

Outcome: 
Strengthened policy foundations for wildlife governance, improved cross-sector collaboration, and advanced One Health integration in national legislation. 

Cameroon 

• Supported alignment of national policies with the COMIFAC Convergence Plan. 

• Organized a regional workshop (86 participants) to share legal reforms and promote harmonisation. 

• Enhanced regional cooperation and knowledge exchange among Central African countries. 

• Promoted the Legal Hub as a tool for comparative legal analysis and reform processes. 

Outcome: 
Improved regional policy coordination, increased uptake of Legal Hub tools, and strengthened frameworks for harmonised wildlife legislation. 

Namibia 

• Completed and validated a comprehensive legal analysis of wildlife management sectors. 

• Identified key legal gaps, including wild meat traceability and regulatory fragmentation. 

• Facilitated multi-sector dialogue between environment, agriculture, and health ministries. 

• Contributed directly to the revision of the national Wildlife Bill. 

• Positioned Namibia as a regional model for community-based conservation in the KAZA region. 

Outcome: 
Enhanced legal coherence, strengthened inter-ministerial collaboration, and supported evidence-based law reform aligned with One Health principles. 

Cross-Cutting Results (All Countries) 

• Improved access to legal information through the Legal Hub platform. 

• Strengthened capacity of stakeholders (governments, civil society, communities). 

• Enabled participatory, evidence-based legal reforms. 

• Increased awareness of wildlife-related health risks and sustainable practices. 

• Promoted integration of customary law and indigenous rights into formal governance systems. 

Overall Impact 

The project demonstrates that combining legal analysis, stakeholder engagement, and digital tools can catalyse national and regional legal reforms, improve wildlife governance, and reduce health risks linked to wildlife use. The Legal Hub serves as a scalable model for integrated, multi-sectoral policy development under the One Health approach. 

The link between wildlife trade, consumption and zoonotic disease outbreaks with pandemic potential has been documented by a growing body of evidence worldwide. Wildlife trade and emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) of zoonotic origin are of particular concern in the Tropics, and particularly in Central Africa. In this region bushmeat is an essential part of the diet of millions of people, contributing 20–70% of all protein intake, with the trade of bushmeat estimated to reach USD 1–3 billion. A demand that is expected to grow with the increase of the human population in the region. Kinshasa for instance, capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with an estimated population of 13 million inhabitants in 2018, is predicted to become the largest city in Africa and the fourth largest in the world by 2050, with 35 million inhabitants. 

The role of unsustainable and illegal bushmeat hunting and consumption in species extinction is well known, as well as their cascading effects on ecosystem services and local food security. However, less is known about their contribution to the risk of zoonotic disease spread. And this, despite the fact that Central Africa has already experienced tragic examples of pathogen spillover most likely linked to wildlife consumption and trade, e.g. those causing acute outbreaks (Ebola) or with pandemic potential (SIV/HIV, other Retroviruses). It is therefore key to assess wildlife trade situations for risks of potentially serious zoonoses to inform policies to tightly monitor, regulate and control the consumption and trade. 

The overall objective of this project was to identify and map the risks of zoonotic disease transmission in bushmeat trade along value-chains from a source to the end markets, i.e. from a National Park to large and dense urban areas. In particular, the projects aim was 

• to characterise and assess the scale of the bushmeat trade between a National Park and urban centres, the species consumed and traded, the modes and drivers behind the consumption and trade along the value-chains 

• to detect and measure the presence of pathogens in bushmeat samples at various nodes of the value-chains 

• to quantify the risks triggering pathogen presence and loads, transmission to humans, and spread of infections to human populations along the value-chains. 

Main Results: 

• Identification of several pathogens (i.e. Primate T-Lymphotropic Virus (PTLV), the Taterapox virus, an Orthopoxvirus, the bacterium Bacillus Cereus Biovar. Anthracis (BCBVA)), present in collected samples of bushmeat from the region 

• About 800 samples were collected showing that mostly high-risk taxa are being sold on markets. 

• Hunting is mostly done for financial reasons and wild meat is mostly consumed due to  lack of alternatives. 

• Handling meat was mostly done under unhygienic circumstances (with bear hands and direct contact to blood)   

Recommendations: 

• The introduction of monitoring with more in-depth and regular sampling, particularly at outlets where taxonomic groups known to be transporters of zoonotic pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential are sold (e.g. Primates and Rodents, but also Artiodactyls as highlighted in our study) 

• Developing awareness campaigns on the risks of zoonoses and the behaviours to adopt to reduce these risks 

• The development of a participatory early warning system for zoonotic diseases 

• The development of policies and practices to strictly regulate and control the bushmeat trade  

Products:  

Alliance Event Report

Find more information and the overall learnings of the Alliance financed projects in the report “Learning to make Change Happen.- Global Lessons from 18 projects” 

As a biodiversity hotspot, Indonesia hosts a high density of wild animals. However, human activities are bringing wild animals and humans into increasingly close proximity. Ecosystem degradation, caused by land-use change and overexploitation, and hunting and wildlife trade, common sources of income for local communities, increase human-wildlife interactions and create risks for human health and the environment. A major risk to human health is zoonotic spillover, the process by which pathogens in animals jump into people, which can then cause human disease. However, cost-effective interventions can greatly reduce the risk of spillover and must be implemented rapidly in zoonotic spillover hotspots.

This project aimed to catalyse action among Indonesian policymakers to implement spillover prevention policies. We strengthened their understanding of effective policy reform and action and fostereddialogue between relevantnational agencies. At the same time, we raised awareness and support for spillover prevention policy reform and action among G20 leaders through Indonesia’s G20 post-Presidency, as well as with the general public in the ASEAN region and East Asia. The project was co-led by Preventing Pandemics at the Source (PPATS) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Indonesia, in partnership with the Indonesian NGO Alam Sehat Lestari (ASRI). 

Main Outcomes: 

• The project increased support and capacity for spillover prevention policy reform by strengthening policymaker engagement, enhancing inter-ministerial coordination, consulting key stakeholders, and producing targeted policy briefs and white papers.

• The team strengthened local biosecurity measures by establishing a meat transportation checkpoint in high-traffic areas and collaborating with local agriculture and animal health authorities.

• The project raised public awareness of spillover prevention across Southeast and East Asia by engaging with media outlets, training young journalists, producing social media content, and publishing 24 articles on zoonotic diseases and One Health.