In many parts of the world, apes and monkeys are killed for consumption by humans. Bushmeat is classified as meat from a wild animal, and while apes only make up a small percentage of the bushmeat trade, the effect on their already vulnerable populations is devastating. This is particularly a problem for the great apes in Africa because many cultures have depended on wild animals for food for centuries. Catching wild animals for meat is cheaper than buying beef or fish at the local market, and many people buying bushmeat are not even aware of the problem they are contributing to. In some cases, the meat is exported to countries like China, where people value exotic food such as monkey limbs or tiger paws as delicacies.

According to the Bushmeat Crisis Task force, commercial hunting for the meat of wild animals has become the most significant immediate threat to the future of wildlife in Africa. Not only are they themselves targeted, but apes often fall subject to snares set out for other animals. Given the low reproductive rates of the great apes, present levels of hunting, if unchecked, threaten the survival of all ape populations. Meanwhile, humans who consume bushmeat are at risk, too:  diseases such as Ebola can easily be transferred from one species to another. Educating the public to increase awareness about bushmeat has the potential to improve the situation dramatically.