Is it time to bring back bushmeat?

As Ebola slowly retreats from West Africa, some are calling for a revival of the bushmeat trade, which was blamed for triggering the deadly outbreak. Yet, for thousands of West Africans this meat is a vital source of income and food. Some have argued that livestock farming and agriculture could replace the lost meat, but that could in fact cause more harm than good according to Robert Nasi, deputy director general at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). He studies bushmeat’s environmental impact and believes that clearing land for agriculture and domesticated animals would lead to deforestation that would ultimately drive out vulnerable forest species.