The Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research (OJVR), is the official publication of the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute. It publishes scientific papers reporting original research on diseases and disease vectors of livestock and wildlife with a focus on Africa, but with results of more than local interest.

Urban wild meat value chains represent a vital source of protein and livelihood intertwined with culture and complex market systems. Against the backdrop of escalating zoonotic disease concerns linked to wild meat, this research aimed to unravel the structure, governance, species composition and actor characteristics of the wild meat value chain in Lagos, Africa's most populated city. We employed a cross-sectional study design incorporating qualitative and quantitative approaches. Interviews (n = 22) were conducted and structured questionnaires were administered to participants (n = 257) across 15 sites in Lagos. Participants' activities were also observed, and field notes were taken. Descriptive statistics and inductive thematic approach were used for data analysis. Findings revealed five main value chain nodes: hunter, processor, wholesale, retail and consumer; and five major geographical areas from which wild meat flowed into the city. Governance structures showed a blend of informal and formal mechanisms sustained through trust, cultural beliefs and informal regulations. The main motivation was income (88.1 %), and period of optimum activity was at night times (53 %) during the dry season (≥ 62 %). Women (62.2 %) dominated the value chain, prevalent at the wholesaler (61.7 %), processor (89.7 %) and retailer (83 %) nodes. Hunters (40 %) were able to supply wild meat directly to consumers, and the large-scale retailers (26 %) were responsible for exportation of wild meat. A total of 35 species were traded in the value chain, and the most commonly traded species were: grasscutters, duikers, porcupines, and giant-pouched rats (≥90.7 % participants). Pottos, buffalos, tortoises and house snakes were the least traded (≤ 7.0 % participants). This study provides an understanding of Lagos wildlife trade from a value chain perspective, paving the way for interventions to address wildlife conservation challenges and spillover risks. Species traded in the value chain have been globally reported as reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens, representing a source of zoonotic spillover risks to actors. Also, the ability of hunters to supply wild meat directly to consumers signals an increase in the speed of zoonotic pathogen spread, and portends a greater risk for public health. Formal governance should be integrated into the value chain to aid effective monitoring and regulation. Conservation and public health interventions should be node-specific and gender-sensitive, targeting the dry seasons when actors' activities peak, and risks of human-wild meat contact are greater. There is need for the re-assessment of the conservation statuses of West Africa's wildlife species to reflect current realities foisted by wild meat trade.

Wild meat, commonly known as bushmeat, is a cultural, economic, and nutritional staple food in many regions of the world, including sub-Saharan Africa. Wild meat value chains face major hygiene and sanitary regulation challenges, but only a few studies have investigated these challenges, focusing instead on market dynamics and biodiversity issues. This study examines the hygiene practices, attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge of public health risks among actors in the Lagos (Nigeria) wild meat value chain, and its consequences for food safety. We employed a qualitative study design, using in-depth interviews of key informants (n = 34) purposively selected from the wild meat value chain’s hunter, wholesaler, processor, and retailer nodes. An inductive thematic approach was used for data analysis. Results revealed three overarching themes: culture, infrastructure, and regulation. Social norms, poor infrastructure, and lack of regulation were the main drivers of the hygiene practices in the value chain. Actors showed poor knowledge of the health risks associated with wild meat, prioritizing taste over its safety. Women were more at risk of contracting zoonotic infections due to gender biases, which exposed them to riskier nodes of the value chain. The wild meat value chain in the megacity of Lagos constitutes a high-risk platform for zoonotic and food-borne pathogen transmission, due to poor knowledge, infrastructure deficits, and economic resource pressure, which leads to unhygienic practices of its actors. We recommend intervention approaches that integrate people’s cultures, provision of infrastructure, enforcement of sanitary standards, actors’ education, and further empirical research to stimulate the establishment of hygiene guidelines for the regulation of urban wild meat value chains globally.

Wild meat, commonly known as bushmeat is a cultural, economic, and nutritional staple food in many regions of the world, including sub-Saharan Africa. Wild meat value chains face major hygiene and sanitary regulation challenges, but only a few studies have investigated these challenges, focusing instead on market dynamics and biodiversity issues. This study examines the hygiene practices, attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge of public health risks among actors in the Lagos (Nigeria) wild meat value chain, and its consequences for food safety. We employed a mixed qualitative and quantitative study design, using in-depth interviews of key informants (n=34) purposively selected from the wild meat value chain’s hunter, wholesaler, processor, and retailer nodes. An inductive thematic approach and descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Results revealed three overarching themes: wild meat process hygiene, personal hygiene, and governance. Social norms, distrust, infrastructural deficits, and poor regulation were the drivers of the hygiene practices in the value chain. Actors showed poor knowledge of the health risks associated with wild meat, prioritizing taste over its safety. Women were more at risk of contracting zoonotic infections due to gender biases which exposed them to riskier nodes of the value chain. Wild meat as a food system in developing urban cities presents a potential source of food-borne disease transmission and zoonotic pathogen spillover to actors and the general public, due to underlying poor hygiene practices. We recommend intervention approaches that integrate peoples’ cultures, provision of infrastructure, enforcement of sanitary standards, actors’ education, and further empirical research to stimulate the establishment of hygiene guidelines for the regulation of urban wild meat value chains.

Zootherapy is a significant component of traditional medicine in many parts of the world. This study investigated the therapeutic and belief-based use of wildlife in urban settings in Southwest Nigeria, assessing its potential implications for One Health. We used semi-structured questionnaires, focus group discussions, and participant observations to gain insights into the practices, practitioners’ knowledge, motivations, and animal species used. Also, we searched the published literature and the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species for zoonotic pathogens and the conservation statuses of the reported animal species. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyze the data. Results revealed 53 practices involving 41 species, with occasional importation of animal parts to meet demand. Practitioners’ limited awareness of zoonotic risks, coupled with income generation and deeply rooted traditional beliefs, sustained these practices, further fueled by the dynamics of urban wild meat trade. The majority (95%) of species reported were reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens, with 44% in the vulnerable, near-threatened, endangered, or critically endangered class. The use of animal-derived products for medicinal and spiritual purposes may constitute a plausible pathway for potential zoonotic spillovers, transboundary animal diseases (TADs), decline in wildlife resources, and ecological imbalance. We recommend intensified monitoring, risk communication, awareness programs, and the adoption of sustainable alternatives to mitigate the negative impacts of these practices in Nigeria and beyond.