Key informant perceptions on wildlife hunting during the first COVID-19 lockdown in India

We studied the effects of the COVID lockdown in India on illegal hunting of wildlife using on-line interviews with key informants. Household consumption, and sports and recreation were identified as the main moti­vations, and logistical challenges for enforcement, disruption of food supply and the need for recreational opportunities as key factors associated with increased hunting during lockdown. These insights were corroborated by the statements made by experts extracted from media articles. Our findings suggest that the lockdown potentially increased hunting across much of India, and emphasize the role of livelihood and food security in mitigating threats to wildlife during periods of acute socio-economic perturbation.