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Hauraki Maori Matauranga for the conservation and harvest of Titi, Pterodroma macroptera gouldi

2008; Linguagem: Inglês

10.26749/rstpp.142.1.149

0080-4703

POB Lyver, Joe Davis, L Ngamane, Laurie C. Anderson, P Clarkin,

Avian ecology and behavior

Hauraki Maori traditional knowledge (which the New Zealand Maori term matauranga) concerning the harvest ofTiti, Grey-faced Petrel, Pterodroma macroptera gouldi (Hutton, 1869), on the islands adjacent to the Coromandel Peninsula was recorded and analysed.The harvest ofTiti linked Hauraki individuals ro culture, ancestors, individual well-being and tribal identity.It also maintained mana (prestige), kaitiaki (environmental guardian) responsibilities and matauranga systems.Harvest tallies ofTiti chicks (and number of birders) declined from 15 000 chicks (and 100-150 birders) before 1950, to 1000-J 200 chicks ( 10-20 birders) by the late 1980s, to < 100 chicks (5-10 birders) in 2007.Decline in harvest tallies was not due solely to fewer individuals harvesting because daily catch rates per birder also declined, in some circumstances by as much as 87%, over this time.Tr aditional resource management strategies for sustaining Titi populations included: selection of chicks in the intermediate stage of growth allowing those in a more advanced state to escape; harvesting chicks towards the end of the adult provisioning period to minimise disturbance; creating breeding space by splitting burrows; annual rotation of harvest around islands to enhance escapement in some years; assigning partial island refuges to enhance escapement; respecting the mana and mauri (life force) of the Titi by not leaving chick remains on the islands and causing abandonment; and designating a rahui (temporary harvest prohibition) on islands to rest colonies from harvest.Indigenous knowledge can provide valuable insights into population dynam ics and strategies for managing a species, as well as ro prioritise research to safeguard the population, traditional knowledge and cultural well-being of the harvesting community.