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ich produced this photo story whilst RS-Film was shooting the TV-documentary "Joseph and the poachers"
(First broadcast 01.09.2005, WDR)
Some extracts in German language:
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Nightly
activities |
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320 x 240 (5,07 MB)
512 x 384 (20,6 MB) |
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Bush meat sale |
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320 x 240 (3,54 MB)
512 x 384 (14,3 MB) |
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Market
Yaoundé 1 |
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320 x 240 (3,43 MB)
512 x 384 (13,9 MB) |
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Market
Yaoundé 2 |
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320 x 240 (3,09 MB)
512 x 384 (12,5 MB) |
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Market
Yaoundé 3 |
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320 x 240 (1,65 MB)
512 x 384 (6,71 MB) |
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Pygmies
village |
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320 x 240 (2,50 MB)
512 x 384 (10,1 MB) |
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Loggers |
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320 x 240 (3,84 MB)
512 x 384 (15,6 MB) |
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| Photo story Cameroon: Joseph and the poachers |
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First time visitors to one of Yaoundé's marketplaces are sure to feel thrown aback and fascinated at the same time. Sincere interest awaits Western-World visitors here – especially concerning your wardrobe and wallet. Flamboyant shirts and pants in the right size are constantly held infront of your nose. Cameroon's capital city, built on top of seven hills, is the main trading point for all of the country's local products. Trying to capture this vibrant and exotic scene on film however leads to an immediate change of mood. Taking pictures or filming is not liked to be seen and ends up in running the gautlets! This especially applies to those areas where bush meat is traded with, that includes: smoked carcasses of antilopes, porcupines, pangolins and – most of all – monkeys. Thinking of bringing out your camera in these places is almost like contemplating suicide, as most of the bush meat trade is absolutely illegal.
For this reason, we arranged to meet with Joseph Melloh. Joseph is 41 years old and a member of the "Bantu" tribe in the western part of Cameroon. He used to be a poacher himself, until the day that an american animal activist inspired him to re-think his actions.
Having undergone his transformation from saulus to paulus – Joseph now works as an undercover agent, delivering information to animal-welfare-organisations and journalists. Being familiar with the market scene and its "hot spots" concerning the bush meat trade, he leads us to the most important places.
Countless dead monkeys are to be seen here. The entire jungle-fauna, spread around the many fireplaces, presents itself to the visitor. Iguanas and small crocodiles are sold as "living meat stock", as are trusting guenons. Known as "big whitenoses" – they are a threatened but not protected primacy kind of animal. Some animals are allowed to be hunted during certain times of the year – as is the case in our countries. Ultimately, that is all of what bush meat should be about: fair game. Whoever posesses a so-called "permis de collecte" – a buyers licencse – is permitted to acquire, transport and sell meat. But many bush meat traders don't take the trouble of earning such a license, as most of them are interested in the meat of illegal animal species: Apes. Gorilla and chimp-meat is highly popular. It is thought of as a dainty and believed to be "extremely healthy". However, the exact opposite is the case! Chimpanzees, for example, are evident originators and transmitters of HIV and Ebola. When asked for their reasons to trade with illegal bush meat, most poachers call upon a high level of umemployment and the need to take care of a large family.
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