Alternative Livelihood.
Our evidence-based approach to reduce hunting pressure on the Egyptian fruit bat and prevent potential zoonotic disease spread
Rural livelihoods are inextricably linked to nature. Our community partners are primarily forest-dependent small-holder farmers whose resilience and adaptation against climate change and loss of ecosystem services requires multi-stakeholder effort. Through our mission to safeguard local livelihoods we empower local communities to stand for nature, by shifts in protein and income sources, climate-sensitive agricultural land management.
For many families around Afi Mountain, protein often comes straight from the forest. Bats, particularly the Egyptian fruit bat, which roosts in accessible caves, are easy targets for hunters. As demand grows and populations shrink, the cycle becomes harder to reverse.
Our Alternative Protein Project started from a simple question: What if communities could raise their own preferred, affordable protein source without turning to the forest?
In a socio-ecological survey, community members identified cane rats (locally known as grasscutters) as a preferred and widely consumed alternative protein source. This insight led directly to a pilot farm providing an alternative to bat hunting. In 2024, the project saw significant progress with a large increase in litter. The project has since expanded to two additional communities.
3
Farm
sites
Buanchor, Katabang, and Olum communities Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary
2024
First
litters
Confirming breeding viability at pilot farm
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Bat hunting pressure
Long-term objective through sustained alternative protein sources
This Matters Beyond Protein Reducing bat hunting at cave roosts does two things: it protects bat populations from unsustainable offtake, and it reduces the risk of zoonotic disease spillover — a concern for public health in communities that live close to wildlife. Changing protein sources takes time and community trust. We are committed to the long-term view.