Description: The hunting of wild animals for their meat has been a crucial activity in the evolution of humans. It continues to be an essential source of food and a generator of income for millions of Indigenous and rural communities worldwide. Conservationists rightly fear that excessive hunting of many animal species will cause their demise, as has already happened throughout the Anthropocene. Many species of large mammals and birds have been decimated or annihilated due to overhunting by humans. If such pressures continue, many other species will meet the same fate. Equally, if the use of wildlife resources is to continue by those who depend on it, sustainable practices must be implemented. These communities need to remain or become custodians of the wildlife resources within their lands, for their own well-being as well as for biodiversity in general. This title is also available via Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Brief description: Stephan M. Funk is a passionate scientist leading the consultancy Nature Heritage to conserve biodiversity and natural heritage for our sustainable future. After training in ecology, genetics and biology and environmental management, he has worked in Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and South America.
Review Quotes: 'An exceptionally detailed overview of hunting for subsistence and income by local and Indigenous people throughout the tropical regions. This wide-ranging review is combined with an equally thorough discussion of different approaches to the quantitative assessment of sustainability.' S. Sullivan, Conservation Biology