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International audience; ‘The Anthropocenic animal’conference, organized by the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the FrenchMuseum of Natural History (MNHN), was held online in December 2020. The purpose of this meetingwas to analyze the evolution of utilitarian and affective relationships between humans and animals in theAnthropocene context. This event brought together a wide variety of fields (biology, ecology,archaeozoology, anthropology, history, ethics...). In this report, we first summarize the speakers’presentations which were divided into four thematic sessions: 1) domestication, 2) wild animalsbetween defaunation and rewilding, 3) sentinel animals for global and health risks, and4) ‘knowledgeable’ animals. We then revisit three prominent aspects of the conference: the use ofthe culture concept at the human-animal interface, the uses of the Anthropocene concept during theconference itself, and its effects on interdisciplinarity between the social and natural sciences. Thisconference productively addressed human-animal interaction issues through different lenses,approaches and time scales, which led to questioning the anthropocentrism of the Anthropoceneconcept. However, although carrying different connotations for social and natural scientists, the‘Anthropocene’ was globally taken for granted, in a Eurocentric view, and its use did not seem decisivein promoting scientific exchanges.; -Le colloque « L'animal à l'Anthropocène », organisé par le CNRS et le Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, s'est tenu en ligne en décembre 2020. Ce colloque avait pour objectif d'analyser l'évolution des rapports utilitaires et affectifs entre humains et animaux dans le contexte de l'Anthropocène, avec l'ambition de réunir une grande diversité de disciplines. Nous commençons par une synthèse des interventions. Puis nous revenons sur trois aspects saillants du colloque : la mobilisation du concept de culture sur l'interface humain-animal, les usages du concept d'Anthropocène au sein du colloque, ses effets sur l'interdisciplinarité entre sciences sociales et sciences naturelles. Si ce colloque a permis d'aborder les relations humains-animaux à travers différentes approches et échelles de temps, son rattachement à la notion d'Anthropocène n'a pas semblé décisif pour favoriser les échanges scientifiques.

International audience

This brief summarises key socio-anthropological considerations regarding 'indigenous communities' in the context of the outbreak of Ebola in the DRC, June 2018. Further participatory enquiry should be undertaken with the affected population, but given ongoing transmission, conveying key considerations for the response and immediate recommendations related to engaging communities in Équateur Province have been prioritised. This brief is based on a rapid review of existing published and grey literature, professional ethnographic research with Twa and Mongo communities, personal communication with administrative and health officials in the country, and experience of previous Ebola outbreaks. In shaping this brief, informal discussions were held with colleagues from UNICEF, WHO, IFRC and the GOARN Social Science Group. Input was also given by expert advisers from the; Cette note stratégique résume les principales considérations socio-anthropologiques concernant les «communautés autochtones» dans le contexte de la flambée épidémique d’Ébola en RDC, en juin 2018. Une analyse plus complète devrait être faite avec la population affectée, mais en raison de la transmission qui se poursuit, la priorité a été accordée à la communication des points clés et des recommandations immédiates dans la province de l’Équateur. Cette note stratégique est basée sur une étude rapide de la littérature grise publiée existante, la recherche ethnographique professionnelle avec les communautés Mongo et Twa, des communications personnelles avec les agents administratifs et les autorités sanitaires dans le pays, et de l’expérience de précédentes flambées épidémiques d’Ébola. Lors de l’élaboration de cette note stratégique, des discussions informelles ont eu lieu avec des collègues de l'UNICEF, de l'OMS, de la FICR et du Groupe des sciences sociales GOARN, et des experts du CNRS-MNHN Paris, Institut Pasteur, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Réseau Anthropologie des Epidémies Emergentes, University of Florida, Tufts University, University of Wisconsin, Institute of Development Studies, Anthrologica et d'autres. Cette note stratégique a été développée par Romain Duda (Musée de l'Homme, CNRS-MNHN et déployé en RDC par ALIMA, the Alliance for International Medical Action) et Lys Alcayna-Stevens (Institut Pasteur, Collège de France) avec le soutien de Juliet Bedford (Anthrologica). Cette note relève de la responsabilité à la Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform.

International audience; Hunting is a main threat for wildlife conservation in Central Africa, but remains an essential component of local people's livelihoods. Research suggests that hunters engage in hunting in different ways, especially according to various technical means, which might potentially have differentiated impacts on wildlife. Using quantitative data collected over a 12 months period, we analyse different hunter's profiles among the Baka of Southeastern Cameroon, and compare socioeconomic and hunting offtake data across profiles. We monitored 719 hunting events, recording 579 catches (belonging to 32 species). Most Baka hunters engage in snare trapping, a relatively low-efficiency hunting technique, while a reduced number of Baka hunters use firearms. Firearm users obtain the highest offtake and sell most of it. This study therefore suggests the emergence of specialized hunters in shotgun hunting with a higher integration in market economy. Disentangling the effects of hunting techniques and their relations to socioeconomic status might help design wildlife management strategies that take into consideration the diversity and the complexity of practices among local populations.

África Central, al igual que otras áreas de bosques tropicales, alberga una alta biodiversidad, así como diversas comunidades indígenas que dependen de estos bosques para su subsistencia. Sin embargo, hasta la fecha, las políticas de conservación en esta región raras veces han logrado conciliar el desarrollo humano y la sostenibilidad de los ecosistemas. Los conservacionistas consideran la caza de subsistencia como el principal obstáculo para la conservación de la fauna silvestre. Sin embargo, para las comunidades locales, la caza es importante para aspectos relacionados con su identidad cultural, su dieta, su economía, y sus prácticas sociales y simbólicas. En este contexto, esta tesis examina las tensiones entre la caza de subsistencia y la defaunación. Más allá de las preocupaciones occidentales sobre la sostenibilidad de los ecosistemas y del valor intrínseco de las especies animales, la defaunación genera preocupaciones relacionadas con la seguridad alimentaria, la salud pública (epizoótica), los derechos indígenas, e incluso la seguridad nacional (en relación al tráfico de marfil). Pese a estas tensiones, no son muchos los estudios que abarcan las dimensiones sociales y humanas de la crisis de la defaunación. Esta tesis explora aspectos socio-culturales de la caza y de la crisis de la fauna silvestre en dos pueblos Baka en el sureste de Camerún. Los Baka viven en un contexto polarizado entre, por un lado, medidas de conservación, y por el otro, incentivos económicos del mercado de la carne de animales silvestres. La tesis ofrece una visión general de cómo la sociedad Baka responde ante un contexto de cambios rápidos y en el que hay un gran interés por la fauna silvestre. Para ello, se analiza la manera en que los Baka cazan, consumen y comercializan carne de animales silvestres, pero también cómo interpretan los cambios ambientales y sus efectos sobre la estructura social y el bienestar. Usando una perspectiva etnoecológica, esta tesis combina datos recolectados con métodos cualitativos y cuantitativos de 269 informantes recogidos durante 14 meses de trabajo de campo Para los Baka, adquirir y compartir carne silvestre sigue siendo un objeto social y simbólico de crucial importancia. La caza no es practicada de la misma forma por todos los Baka: mientras que la mayoría de las personas ejercen una baja presión de caza sobre la fauna local, otros parecen haberse especializado en esta actividad debido a los incentivos económicos y la falta de regulación sobre las armas de fuego en el área. Las variaciones individuales en las prácticas de caza se relacionan con variaciones en los conocimientos y prácticas de caza, que a su vez se reflejan en un estatus social diferente. Los patrones tradicionales en la atribución de estatus social se ven alterados por las percepciones locales y la disminución del intercambio y la distribución de carne de caza en la sociedad Baka. Las percepciones negativas de los Baka sobre los cambios en la fauna salvaje y las medidas de conservación expresan sus sentimientos de marginalización y miedo debido al uso de la fuerza y los abusos de los agentes encargados de la conservación. Esta tesis es la primera en hacer un análisis profundo de la caza en el contexto actual de las poblaciones Baka, resaltando las variaciones intraculturales de los aspectos sociales relacionados con la caza, tales como la dieta, el estatus social, los ingresos y las percepciones sociales. A un nivel más amplio, esta tesis sugiere que las políticas actuales necesitan de un entendimiento crítico y completo de las cosmovisiones, y las reacciones a los cambios de las poblaciones locales, así como de las consecuencias de la defaunación y las medidas de conservación en el marco so, As other tropical forest areas, Central Africa shelters both a high biodiversity and many local communities who depend on it for their subsistence. However, conservation policies enforced in such contexts rarely succeed to conceal human development and ecosystem sustainability. Conservationists consider subsistence hunting as a major hurdle to wildlife conservation, but for local populations hunting is deeply embedded in cultural identity, diet, economy, and social and symbolic practices. In this context, this thesis examines the tensions between subsistence hunting and defaunation. Defaunation of Central African forests is driven by a multiplicity of factors including the complex entanglement of wildlife in a wide range of apparently incompatible values and priorities. Beyond Western concerns regarding ecosystems sustainability and the intrinsic value of animal species, defaunation also generates concerns related to food security, public health (epizootics), indigenous rights, and even national security (in relation to ivory trafficking). Despite these tensions, the understanding of the human and social dimensions of the “bushmeat crisis” remains underexplored. This thesis explores the socio-cultural aspects of hunting and wildlife crisis through data collected during 14 months of fieldwork in two Baka villages of southeaster Cameroon. The Baka live in a context polarized by conservation measures on one side and economic incentives for bushmeat trade on the other. This thesis provides a broad view of how the Baka society reacts to a fast changing context where fauna has become a major stake. To do so, I analyse the way Baka hunt, consume, and commercialize wild meat, but also how they interpret environmental changes and their potential impacts on social structure and wellbeing. Through the different chapters of the thesis, I using an ethnoecological approach and combine data collected through qualitative and quantitative methods. Specifically, I used systematic surveys to collect data on informants’ (n=269) socio-economic characteristics, hunting outputs, hunting knowledge, status, and meat consumption. These data are associated with information from semi-structured interviews and from insights generated during long periods of participant observation. For the Baka, the acquisition and sharing of wild meat remains a critical symbolic and social practice, although the context of hunting seems to have changed to what was previously described. Nowadays, the Baka hunt and consume mostly small mammals, notably rodents, in a landscape seemingly depleted due to past over hunting. Hunting is not equally practiced by all the Baka: while most Baka have relatively low hunting outputs, some others –pushed by economic incentives and the unregulated presence of shotguns in the area- seem to be largely involved in bushmeat trade. Variations in hunting practices relate to variations in hunting knowledge and skills, which in turn are reflected on different social status. Previous patterns of status attribution to hunters are, however, being altered arguably because of the decrease in bushmeat sharing, notably by elephant hunting specialists. Finally this thesis shed light upon Baka perceptions on wildlife changes and conservation measures, a process that is mostly negatively perceived by the Baka, who express feelings of marginalisation and fear due to the use of force and abuses from conservation agents. This thesis is the first to provide a deep analysis of hunting in the current context of Baka populations. It highlights intracultural variations on social aspects related to hunting, such as diet, status, income, and social perceptions. At the applied level, this work suggests that current conservation policies critically need a full understanding of local people’s cosmovisions, reactions to changes, and the consequences of both defaunation and imposed conservation measures on their social, economic and cultural frameworks.

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552 Researchers have argued that the behavioral adaptations that explain the success of our species are partially cultural, i.e., cumulative and socially transmitted. Thus, understanding the adaptive nature of culture is crucial to understand human evolution. We use a cross-cultural framework and empirical data purposely collected to test whether culturally transmitted and individually appropriated knowledge provides individual returns in terms of hunting yields and health and, by extension, to nutritional status, a proxy for individual adaptive success. Data were collected in three subsistence-oriented societies: the Tsimane' (Amazon), the Baka (Congo Basin), and the Punan (Borneo). Results suggest that variations in individual levels of local environmental knowledge relate to individual hunting returns and to self-reported health, but not to nutritional status. We argue that this paradox can be explained through the prevalence of sharing: individuals achieving higher returns to their knowledge transfer them to the rest of the population, which explains the lack of association between knowledge and nutritional status. The finding is in consonance with previous research highlighting the importance of cultural traits favoring group success, but pushes it forward by elucidating the mechanisms through which individual and group level adaptive forces interact.

International audience; In the Congo Basin, food is an everyday concern and its acquisition and transformation often structure many of the activities of a human group. While agriculture provides the main source of calories, meat of wild animals, commonly referred to as bushmeat, represents the main source of protein for local people in the region and plays an important role in terms of dietary diversity and health. However, the increase of bushmeat consumption in towns and more efficient hunting practices have pushed the harvest of wild animals to unsustainable levels, generating a “bushmeat crisis”. The growing demand for bushmeat has created strong pressures and a lure of profit pushing the hunters of southern Cameroon to sell (illegally) their harvest. A dynamic that might affect both local diets and the modalities of relations between humans and animals. Therefore, this paper aims to describe the importance of wild meat for the Baka, an ethnolinguistic group of Southeastern Cameroun, traditionally hunter-gatherers. It analyses the place of the animal in the Baka daily life through its contribution in dietary, symbolic and economic terms. The paper combines a qualitative ethnography with individual-level data on food diversity intake and meat selling, and describes different aspects related to meat sharing and consumption.; Dans le bassin du Congo, l’alimentation est une préoccupation quotidienne et son acquisition et sa transformation structurent souvent bon nombre des activités humaines. Alors que l'agriculture fournit la principale source de calories, la viande d'animaux sauvages, communément appelée viande de brousse, représente la principale source de protéines pour les populations locales et joue un rôle important en termes de diversité alimentaire et de santé. Cependant, l'augmentation de la consommation de viande sauvage en villes et des pratiques de chasse plus efficaces ont poussé la capture d'animaux sauvages à des niveaux non durables, générant une «crise de la viande de brousse». Cette demande croissante a engendré de fortes pressions et un attrait financier qui pousse les chasseurs du sud du Cameroun à commercialiser (illégalement) leur gibier. Une dynamique qui pourrait affecter le régime alimentaire local, mais aussi les modalités de relations entre humains et animaux, intimement liées à des représentations du bien-être, de cohésion sociale et à l’identité culturelle. Cet article décrit l’importance de l’animal-gibier pour les Baka, une société du sud-est Cameroun, historiquement chasseurs-cueilleurs. Il analyse la place actuelle de l’animal-gibier dans le quotidien des Baka à travers sa contribution alimentaire, symbolique et économique. L’étude combine une ethnographie qualitative avec des données individuelles de consommation et de vente de gibier, et décrit différents aspects liés au partage et à la consommation de viande.