Liberia contains a portion of West Africa's Global Biodiversity hotspot. Liberia contains portion of the Guinean forest, the Gola forest preserve and the Sapo national park, which bears host to over 193 different species, of which about 15 have been rated endangered or vulnerable. According to the Forestry Development Authority of Liberia, the existence of several rare animal species is being threatened by poachers, who kill these animals to be sold on the Liberian market as bush meat.

Bush meat is consumed on a vast scale on the Liberian market. Villagers kill these animals for food as they serve as a source of protein for them, and also for trade. Hunters go into the forest and hunt any animal they see, including fully protected animals like the Pygmy Hippopotamus, Jentik Duikers, crocodiles, elephants, leopards, chimpanzees, monkeys, pangolins, etc, although it is illegal to do so. Bush meat trade, along with increasing commercial logging is causing widespread local extinction of wild animals.

The Forestry Development Authority currently have laws against the hunting of protected species, but these laws are weak and vague, making it difficult to prosecute would be violators. Forest rangers find it difficult to patrol large areas of the forest because they are not allowed to carry guns. As the result, hunting continues to push endangered species closer to extinction.