Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Subsistence hunting by three ethnic groups of the Lacandon Forest, Mexico

2004; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 24; Linguagem: Inglês

2162-4496

Eduardo J. Naranjo, Michelle M. Guerra, Richard E. Bodmer, Jorge Bolaños,

Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management

-This study compares hunting practices and preferences of Lacandon, Tzeltal, and Mestizo hunters from five communities adjacent to Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve in the Lacandon Forest, Chiapas, Mexico. We conducted interviews and directly observed animals taken by hunters during one year. Wildlife was hunted by most Indian and Mestizo residents primarily for food and to reduce crop damage. Per capita, Lacandon hunters extracted more wildlife biomass than both Tzeltal and Mestizo hunters. Total biomass extracted from 32 wildlife species was 8160 kg/year. Ungulates and rodents made up 87% of the total biomass harvested. Paca, red brocket deer, white-tailed deer, and collared peccary were the species with the greatest harvest rates. Harvest rates were positively correlated with the intrinsic rate of natural increase of species (rm,)' Species that reproduce faster were hunted more frequently. There were no correlations between harvest rates and body mass, standing biomass, density, or local economic value of game species. Our results suggest that rmdX of species should be considered when managing subsistence hunting and that hunting should be regulated, preferably through community-based management, for the benefit of both residents and local wildlife populations.