Make birds safe again! IBCP joins BirdLife Spain workshop to tackle illegal killing of birds

10 July, 2026

Rare Egyptian Plovers (Pluvianus aegyptius) offered for sale at a wildlife market in Benin, together with rollers, corvids, barbets, coucals, and hundreds of other bird species, many of them migratory. Photo by Abiola Sylvestre Chaffra.

Illegal killing threatens the survival of an estimated 70% of the 1200 migratory wildlife species listed under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). The international wildlife trade is a major driver for much illegal killing, but the majority of these species are killed for domestic consumption, including for food and cultural uses. In West African countries such as Benin, such uses include ritual animal sacrifice, which paying customers believe will protect them from witchcraft.

A live Northern White-faced Owl (Ptilopsis leucotis) offered for sale for use in a ritual vodun (voodoo) sacrifice in Benin; this species is one of the most heavily persecuted birds for use in ritual sacrifice, with huge numbers trapped and sold in Benin’s voodoo markets. Photo by Abiola Sylvestre Chaffra.

Animal sacrifice is an integral part of West African vodun – popularly known as voodoo – which is celebrated as the national religion in Benin. The promotion of animal sacrifice as a means to improve one’s life may seem shocking, but ritual killing in Africa is not only confined to animals; it also includes human sacrifice, especially of children. As horrifying as this may be to most of us, for some it is big business, with shocking amounts of money involved. Birds are also heavily exploited for such purposes, with hundreds of avian species slaughtered in huge numbers for ritual use, food, and trade.

Abiola Sylvestre Chaffra counts and photographs birds including Palm-nut Vultures (Gypohierax angolensis), Great Blue Turacos (Corythaeola cristata) and many other species in one of Benin’s many voodoo markets. Photo courtesy of Abiola Sylvestre Chaffra.

IBCP’s Abiola Sylvestre Chaffra recently presented his research on the trade of vultures for belief-based use in Benin as part of an online workshop organized by the Sociedad Española de Ornitología (SEO), BirdLife International’s partner in Spain. Entitled: “Global Initiatives on Illegal and Unsustainable Taking of Migratory Species: Safe Flyways, CMS COP15 Outcomes and Other Regional Schemes,” the workshop included 167 registered participants from from 66 countries, representing government agencies, universities, and NGOs.

Abiola’s research has revealed that Hooded Vultures (Necrosyrtes monachus) in Benin’s wildlife markets are trafficked into the country from at least 10 regional countries across many hundreds of miles.

Other speakers included Sol Espinosa (BirdLife International) on the illegal killing and trade of birds in the Mediterranean Region and Mohamed Amezian (GREPOM/BirdLife Maroc) on the illegal taking and trafficking of cage birds in North Africa. Organizer Jorge Fernández Orueta (SEO/BirdLife) concluded the workshop with a summary of outcomes towards the goal of shifting towards a broader, integrated global governance framework for wildlife. Following the presentations, participants engaged in a moderated question and answer session and discussion on the challenges of transforming this goal into concrete, long-term implementation mechanisms.

A roadside merchant in Porto-Novo, Benin, offers live waterbirds for sale from a local Ramsar site for consumption as bushmeat. Photo courtesy of Abiola Sylvestre Chaffra.

Among the participants was IBCP’s Anya Dabite Abeh, who is currently developing a education and extension program in Cameroon that is designed to reduce the threat of belief-based use that is now driving the destruction of so much of Africa’s unique natural and cultural heritage. We thank SEO/BirdLife for their important efforts to reduce and eventually eliminate the illegal killing of birds and foster a bright future for people and nature. We look forward to continuing to work together to make birds safe again!

Colossal numbers of birds and other animals are killed and sold in Benin’s voodoo markets, impoverishing and threatening Africa’s rich natural and cultural heritage. Photo by Abiola Sylvestre Chaffra.