The Big Haul!

The other day I arrived at the Mara Bagga Yorro (animal parts market) to find one of my friends and research participant with a large grin on his face.  It turned out that he had just purchased an incredible amount of new stock for his stall.  All the stock was bought from a single hunter that had traveled from Western Mali to sell his wares.  The purchase included the following:

1 Roan Antelope Hide

6 Roan Antelope horns

8 Hartebeest horns

2 Warthog heads

1 Civet head

5 Porcupine heads

7 bundles of porcupine quills

7 porcupine stomachs

10 Baboon heads                                                                                 

1 Mongoose head

5 Patas monkey heads  

2 Fish Eagle talons

7 juvenile crocodile heads

1 juvenile hyena head

1 juvenile hyena hide

1 juvenile hyena tail

10 barn owls

1 starling

2 Black cobras

3 Puff Adders

1 juvenile Savannah Monitor

40 dried chameleons

1 Jackal head

20 Bushbuck horns

15 Baboon paws

2 Duiker forelegs

4 Caracal forelegs

1 Civet hide

3 Falcons

                                                                                                                                                                  

The total paid for this haul of animal parts was 50,000cfa (roughly $105.00); a deal if there ever was one.  No wonder my friend had a big grin on his face.