The bushmeat trade in central Democratic Republic of the Congo operates through a complex network connecting remote forests to urban markets. According to a Mongabay investigation, porters make long journeys from forests near Salonga National Park to transport smoked bushmeat to local markets, where vendors sell meat from various protected species including primates. A porter might pay a hunter about $4.70 USD for a small monkey carcass and later net $25 USD for delivering a 25-35 kg load to markets. This trade in the meat and body parts of protected species has evolved from subsistence hunting to commercial exploitation, with hunters establishing forest camps to process large quantities of meat bound for Kinshasa's wealthy markets and international buyers. Wildlife populations near accessible areas have been depleted, forcing hunters deeper into protected areas. While local protein needs drive some demand, the volume of bushmeat in Lodja exceeds local requirements, with much being funnelled toward Kinshasa's 17 million inhabitants, where growing wealth has increased demand for wild meat as a luxury item.