Understanding the repertoire of hunting techniques used by traditional peoples in tropical forest... more Understanding the repertoire of hunting techniques used by traditional peoples in tropical forests is crucial for recognizing the role of traditional knowledge in hunting activities, as well as assessing the impact of harvests on game species. We describe the hunting techniques used across Amazonia by Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples for hunting yellow-footed tortoises ( Chelonoidis denticulatus), one of the most consumed species in the biome. We interviewed 178 local people in 25 communities living in seven study areas in the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon. We used a Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) and Analysis of Similarity (ANOSIM) to compare the hunting techniques between ethnic groups and the ages of the interviewees. Four different techniques were reported: (1) trapping with bait (46%; n = 122); (2) hunting with dogs (35%; n = 92); (3) active searching (14 %; n = 37); and (4) visiting fruiting trees (5%; n = 14). Trapping with bait was alleged to be the most cost-effective technique by 67% of the interviewees. Among the baits used, 93% involved the use of wild species as rotten meat. Hunting with dogs was also frequently cited and involved eight different methods of training. The hunting techniques recorded were not significantly different among ethnic groups or generations. The consonance among the technique repertoire likely reflects a shared knowledge still in use across different cultural groups. There is a potential for applying the hunting techniques to large scale community-based monitoring and management programs, but the impact on additional species affected, such as species intentionally captured to be used as bait, should be considered. Local assessments and community-based management plans that incorporate traditional ecological knowledge are recommended to guarantee the maintenance of livelihoods and ensure the species' conservation in Amazonia.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which... more This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
American journal of biological anthropology, Apr 24, 2023
ObjectivesThe morphological features of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in mammals reflect a spe... more ObjectivesThe morphological features of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in mammals reflect a species' food niche breadth and dietary adaptations. For many wild mammals, the relationship between the structure of the GIT and diet is still poorly understood, for example, the GIT for frugivorous primates is usually classified as unspecialized and homogeneous. Here, we compare the GIT structure of 13 primate species from the three families of extant platyrrhines (Atelidae, Pitheciidae, and Cebidae) in Amazonia, and discuss possible evolutionary adaptations to different diets and trophic niches.MethodsWe measured the length of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, cecum, colon, and rectum of the digestive tracts of 289 primate specimens. We determined the allometric relationships of the different tubular organs with the total length of the GIT as a proxy of specimen body size. Allometric parameters were used to establish the quotients of differentiation of every organ for each primate specimen.ResultsThere was a high differentiation in structure of the digestive organs among genera. Alouatta specimens clearly separated from the other genera based on dissimilarities in gastric, colonic, and rectal quotients, likely linked to the fermentation of plant contents. In contrast, all cebines (Sapajus, Cebus, and Saimiri) and Cacajao species had similar small intestine quotients, which is expected due to their high rates of animal matter consumed.ConclusionsWe show that diverse adaptations in digestive structure exist among frugivorous primates, which in turn reflect different dietary patterns within this group that may enable the geographic coexistence of different primate species.
Wild animals are an important source of food and income throughout the Amazon basin, particularly... more Wild animals are an important source of food and income throughout the Amazon basin, particularly for forest-dependent communities living in the more remote regions. Through interviews in 51 households within 16 communities in the Jutaí River Extractive Reserve, Amazonas, Brazil, we determined animal taxa consumed and frequency of wild meat consumption, as well as patterns of wild meat trade. We then investigated the influence of social and biological factors on wild meat consumption and trade. People declared consuming wild meat on an average of 3.2 ± 2.8 days/month/household, amounting to 198.85 kg/month consumed by all sampled households. The vast majority of respondents got wild meat by hunting themselves or it was given to them by their neighbors. The most consumed taxa were paca ( Cuniculus paca) and collared peccary ( Pecari tajacu). Approximately two-thirds of respondents declared selling wild meat; meat destined for urban markets was more expensive and was primarily sold from houses of relatives living in the city. Wild meat consumption was determined by taste preferences, while prices were related to the body mass of the taxa concerned. Frequency of wild meat consumption and the probability of selling wild meat were positively associated with the number of hunters in the household. We highlight the importance of wild meat for remote communities, and, importantly, the prominent links these communities have with urban markets. These findings are useful in developing strategies to ensure the sustainable use of wildlife in the Amazon.
Although the Amazon has the greatest diversity of primates, there are still taxonomic uncertainti... more Although the Amazon has the greatest diversity of primates, there are still taxonomic uncertainties for many taxa, such as the species of the Saguinus mystax group. The most geographically broadly distributed and phenotypically diverse species in this group is S. mystax, and its phenotypic diversity has been recognized as three subspecies—S. mystax mystax, S. mystax pileatus and S. mystax pluto—with non-overlapping geographic distributions. In this sense, we carried out an extensive field survey in their distribution areas and used a framework of taxonomic hypothesis testing of genomic data combined with an integrative taxonomic decision-making framework to carry out a taxonomic revision of S. mystax. Our tests supported the existence of three lineages/species. The first species corresponds to Saguinus mystax mystax from the left bank of the Juruá River, which was raised to the species level, and we also discovered and described animals from the Juruá–Tefé interfluve previously attr...
Every year, during one the planet’s greatest seasonal flooding events, Central Amazonian rivers i... more Every year, during one the planet’s greatest seasonal flooding events, Central Amazonian rivers inundate farmland and expand aquatic habitats, making fish harder to catch. Understudied is whether this hydrological regime impacts human dietary intakes/sufficiency, and, if so, whether it varies between communities in seasonally flooded (várzea) and non-flooded (terra firme) zones. To address this gap, we collected dietary data on 8,100 meals over the course of the hydrological cycle in six várzea and three terra firme communities, and calculated energy, carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake. Diets were dominated by fish (44%), the main source of protein and fat, and manioc flour (26%), the main source of energy and carbohydrate. Fish consumption fell as water levels rose, resulting in reduced energy and macronutrient intake in várzea communities. Terra firme communities showed greater seasonal resilience, maintaining protein and fat levels largely by increasing the consumption of wild...
Terrestrial arthropod groups, including insects, spiders, and millipedes, represent an important ... more Terrestrial arthropod groups, including insects, spiders, and millipedes, represent an important food resource for primates. However, species consumed and patterns and rates of arthropod-related feeding for most frugivorous primates are still poorly known. We examined stomach contents of 178 Amazonian primate specimens of nine genera and three families obtained from community-based collections voluntarily donated by subsistence hunters. Based on our results, we assessed whether consumption patterns followed the expected negative relationship between arthropod ingestion and body size as postulated in the Jarman-Bell and Kay models. We identified 12 consumed arthropod taxa, including insects (beetles, grasshoppers, ants, flies, caterpillars, praying mantises, and others), spiders and millipedes. Medium and large-bodied primates consumed a greater diversity (measured by Simpson’s diversity index) and richness of arthropods, but differed in terms of composition of taxa consumed. Cacajao...
Hunting behavior of the Burrowing-Owl, Athene cunicularia (Molina, 1782) (Aves: Strigiformes) in ... more Hunting behavior of the Burrowing-Owl, Athene cunicularia (Molina, 1782) (Aves: Strigiformes) in an urban environment in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.The burrowing-owl, Athene cunicularia (Molina, 1782) has a wide distribution, which extends from western North America to southern South America. They are an opportunistic plunderer species preying on insects and small mammals. Data on hunting tactics of this specie are scarce in the literature. Here, the general and hunting behaviors of the species are described in an urban environment, a university campus, in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. An adult male of A. cunicularia had its behavior studied during 14 days, in July 2005, totaling 20 hours of systematic observations using the instantaneous focal-animal method. The observations were done using 10x50 binoculars, between 06:00 and 09:00 and after 16:00, from a minimal distance of 25 m. We identified and described five behavioral categories: self-maintenance, locomotion, hunting, non-agonistic social and alert. No difference was found between behaviors displayed during morning and afternoon periods. Four hunting strategies displayed by A. cunicularia were identified (hunting in soil, air hunting, perch to soil hunting and hover flight hunting) but no difference between their frequencies was found. These behaviors were observed only after 18:00. These non-significant patterns suggest that the oportunistic hunting behavior of the birds of prey ("sit-and-wait") and the active search hunting patterns are alternated according to opportunity, identification and capture of the prey and the place of capture.
Bats are the second most diverse mammalian order worldwide. In the Neotropics, Brazil has one of ... more Bats are the second most diverse mammalian order worldwide. In the Neotropics, Brazil has one of the greatest bat richness, but species records are still very heterogeneously distributed, especially in Amazonia. Although this biome harbours 76% of Brazil’s bat fauna, basic knowledge on the distribution of Amazonian bats is far from well known, with intensive surveys at only a few sites and many areas without any records. The reduction of those gaps will improve the understanding of the bats’ distribution, with implications for management and conservation. Here we review the distribution of Trinycteris nicefori, Lionycteris spurrelli, Macrophyllum macrophyllum, and Dasypterus ega in the Brazilian Amazonia, presenting several new records for the region based both on literature review and on our own unpublished data. Our study contributes to the knowledge of the geographic distribution of these species, and the new records presented here help fill a gap in the distribution of bats in t...
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri bution-NonCo mmerc... more This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri bution-NonCo mmercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
Host-parasite relationships can be directly affected by host’s biological aspects and environment... more Host-parasite relationships can be directly affected by host’s biological aspects and environmental factors, which influence both the survival of infective forms and the incidence of parasites. However, logistical difficulties in accessing biological samples for parasitological studies makes the Amazon Forest into a poorly known region in relation to the dynamic of parasites of wild animals. Here, using 34 red howler monkeys’ biological samples donated by local subsistence hunters from two Amazon habitat types (white-water flooded forest and upland forest) as an opportune alternative, we detected four intestinal parasite taxa infecting this species (two nematodes – Trypanoxyuris sp. and Strongyloides sp., one protozoan – Entamoeba sp. –, and one not-identified trematode, the last just found for white-water flooded forest). Trypanoxyuris was the most prevalent intestinal parasite (56.5% at flooded forest and 54.5% at upland forest). There was no difference between habitat types or in...
O objetivo desse trabalho e descrever os relatos da disciplina Biologia da Conservacao no espaco ... more O objetivo desse trabalho e descrever os relatos da disciplina Biologia da Conservacao no espaco nao formal RDS Mamiraua e Amana no ensino de Pos-Graduacao em Diversidade Biologica da Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM). Atividades praticas de quantificacao de palmeiras, mungubas, embaubas e macrofitas foram realizadas para caracterizacao do ambiente. O entendimento sobre alguns conceitos basicos da Biologia da Conservacao como censo, levantamento, densidade, abundância, riqueza, habitat, unidade amostral, recursos hidricos, manejo, preservacao, conservacao, confluencia e encontro de rios, tiveram seus entendimentos mais acessiveis e fixados com a exuberância dessas unidades ao encontrar das maos e visualizar dos olhos. O monitoramente da caca, atividades em trilhas, visitas tecnicas ao Centro de Reabilitacao de peixe boi Amazonico ( Trichechus inunguis ), escavacoes em sitios arqueologicos, visitacao a pousada para o conhecimento do ecoturismo, atividades com macrofitas aquatic...
Studying the timing of the main events of embryonic and fetal development may clarify the strateg... more Studying the timing of the main events of embryonic and fetal development may clarify the strategies adopted by species to maximize neonatal survival and the consequences of these events for their life history. This study describes bone development during the fetal phase of the lowland paca (Cuniculus paca), comparing it with other precocial or altricial species, and its relationship with the species’ adaptive strategies. A total of 102 embryos/fetuses obtained over the course of 17 years through collaboration with local subsistence hunters in the Amazon were analyzed. Measurements of mineralization of the axial and appendicular skeletons were performed by ultrasonography using a 10–18‐MHz linear transducer. The chronological order of occurrence of mineralization in relation to the total dorsal length (TDL) was: skull (TDL = 4.1 cm); vertebral bodies (TDL = 4.6 cm); scapula, humerus, radius, ulna, ilium, ischium, femur, tibia, and fibula (TDL = 6.7 cm); ribs (TDL = 7.8 cm); clavicle...
Abstract. The lack of cost-effective methods to detect game species in tropical forests hinders r... more Abstract. The lack of cost-effective methods to detect game species in tropical forests hinders reliable assessments of their population status and the planning of effective actions for their sustainable use. Tortoises are among the most hunted species in Amazonia, but present low detectability in the wild when using current scientific methods. Traditional hunters in the region use specialized methods to capture tortoises, and such knowledge could provide useful insights for improving monitoring methods and, thus, scientific research on this species. Here, we compare the capture rates and cost-effectiveness of two methods to capture the endangered yellow-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis denticulatus) in Amazonia: the conventional active search and an adaptation of pitfall traps using attractive baits employed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to hunt tortoises. We sampled 40 sites in upland forests and whitewater flooded forests during the dry and wet seasons in central Amazonia and captured 37 yellow-footed tortoises. The highest capture rate (0.29 tortoises/hour) was obtained using traps in upland forests, fourfold higher than by active search. Traps also presented greater cost-effectiveness than the active search (US$63 vs US$256 per captured tortoise). Our capture rate with traps was 67 times greater than those obtained using line transects in western and northern Amazonia. The success exhibited by this widespread hunting technique is a result of centuries of hunters' traditional knowledge in the Amazon. The unveiling of a cost-effective method for capturing tortoises shows the importance of exchanging traditional and scientific knowledge; efficient capturing methods favor the inclusion of the species in long-term monitoring programs and foster in situ studies that help develop strategies for its conservation.
Globally, community-based initiatives are effective in protecting ecosystems and the species with... more Globally, community-based initiatives are effective in protecting ecosystems and the species within them. In this paper, we analyze the emergence and large-scale expansion of a community-based environmental protection system (the Voluntary Environmental Agents Program-VEA Program) in the Brazilian Amazon and identify factors that have determined its success since its inception, 25 years ago. Collective actions to protect the environment in the region have been undertaken by local people for at least 40 years, before their legal regulation in 2001 by the federal government of Brazil, and by the Amazonas state in 2007. The system is based on territorial surveillance and monitoring, and on guidelines for the better use of the territory and its natural resources. Between 1995 and 2020, the VEA Program expanded into the two protected areas where it was first implemented reaching approximately 9 thousand km 2 of area protected by the system. The number of people participating also grew in this period by around 2050%, as did the participation of women, which grew by 5600%. The system was replicated in 37 protected areas in central Amazonia, and currently covers almost 200 thousand km 2 of Amazon rainforest. From our analyses we unveil four main factors that may have allowed the VEA Program to expand and flourish: (a) the communities' previous demand for an effective control system, (b) its legal formalization and regulation, (c) the support from external institutions, and (d) the consolidation of community-based management programs to fund actions. These factors shall be further investigated as to confirm their critical role in the success of the VEA Program. We demonstrate that this community-based environmental protection system has established itself as a legitimate form of social control, and as a mechanism of socio-environmental governance in the areas in which it operates. By allowing more effective protection of territories, it generates consensus amongst users for the adequate management of natural resources, especially in contexts where government's actions are absent or inefficient. We claim that this system can be replicated in various parts of the world.
Understanding the repertoire of hunting techniques used by traditional peoples in tropical forest... more Understanding the repertoire of hunting techniques used by traditional peoples in tropical forests is crucial for recognizing the role of traditional knowledge in hunting activities, as well as assessing the impact of harvests on game species. We describe the hunting techniques used across Amazonia by Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples for hunting yellow-footed tortoises ( Chelonoidis denticulatus), one of the most consumed species in the biome. We interviewed 178 local people in 25 communities living in seven study areas in the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon. We used a Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) and Analysis of Similarity (ANOSIM) to compare the hunting techniques between ethnic groups and the ages of the interviewees. Four different techniques were reported: (1) trapping with bait (46%; n = 122); (2) hunting with dogs (35%; n = 92); (3) active searching (14 %; n = 37); and (4) visiting fruiting trees (5%; n = 14). Trapping with bait was alleged to be the most cost-effective technique by 67% of the interviewees. Among the baits used, 93% involved the use of wild species as rotten meat. Hunting with dogs was also frequently cited and involved eight different methods of training. The hunting techniques recorded were not significantly different among ethnic groups or generations. The consonance among the technique repertoire likely reflects a shared knowledge still in use across different cultural groups. There is a potential for applying the hunting techniques to large scale community-based monitoring and management programs, but the impact on additional species affected, such as species intentionally captured to be used as bait, should be considered. Local assessments and community-based management plans that incorporate traditional ecological knowledge are recommended to guarantee the maintenance of livelihoods and ensure the species' conservation in Amazonia.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which... more This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
American journal of biological anthropology, Apr 24, 2023
ObjectivesThe morphological features of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in mammals reflect a spe... more ObjectivesThe morphological features of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in mammals reflect a species' food niche breadth and dietary adaptations. For many wild mammals, the relationship between the structure of the GIT and diet is still poorly understood, for example, the GIT for frugivorous primates is usually classified as unspecialized and homogeneous. Here, we compare the GIT structure of 13 primate species from the three families of extant platyrrhines (Atelidae, Pitheciidae, and Cebidae) in Amazonia, and discuss possible evolutionary adaptations to different diets and trophic niches.MethodsWe measured the length of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, cecum, colon, and rectum of the digestive tracts of 289 primate specimens. We determined the allometric relationships of the different tubular organs with the total length of the GIT as a proxy of specimen body size. Allometric parameters were used to establish the quotients of differentiation of every organ for each primate specimen.ResultsThere was a high differentiation in structure of the digestive organs among genera. Alouatta specimens clearly separated from the other genera based on dissimilarities in gastric, colonic, and rectal quotients, likely linked to the fermentation of plant contents. In contrast, all cebines (Sapajus, Cebus, and Saimiri) and Cacajao species had similar small intestine quotients, which is expected due to their high rates of animal matter consumed.ConclusionsWe show that diverse adaptations in digestive structure exist among frugivorous primates, which in turn reflect different dietary patterns within this group that may enable the geographic coexistence of different primate species.
Wild animals are an important source of food and income throughout the Amazon basin, particularly... more Wild animals are an important source of food and income throughout the Amazon basin, particularly for forest-dependent communities living in the more remote regions. Through interviews in 51 households within 16 communities in the Jutaí River Extractive Reserve, Amazonas, Brazil, we determined animal taxa consumed and frequency of wild meat consumption, as well as patterns of wild meat trade. We then investigated the influence of social and biological factors on wild meat consumption and trade. People declared consuming wild meat on an average of 3.2 ± 2.8 days/month/household, amounting to 198.85 kg/month consumed by all sampled households. The vast majority of respondents got wild meat by hunting themselves or it was given to them by their neighbors. The most consumed taxa were paca ( Cuniculus paca) and collared peccary ( Pecari tajacu). Approximately two-thirds of respondents declared selling wild meat; meat destined for urban markets was more expensive and was primarily sold from houses of relatives living in the city. Wild meat consumption was determined by taste preferences, while prices were related to the body mass of the taxa concerned. Frequency of wild meat consumption and the probability of selling wild meat were positively associated with the number of hunters in the household. We highlight the importance of wild meat for remote communities, and, importantly, the prominent links these communities have with urban markets. These findings are useful in developing strategies to ensure the sustainable use of wildlife in the Amazon.
Although the Amazon has the greatest diversity of primates, there are still taxonomic uncertainti... more Although the Amazon has the greatest diversity of primates, there are still taxonomic uncertainties for many taxa, such as the species of the Saguinus mystax group. The most geographically broadly distributed and phenotypically diverse species in this group is S. mystax, and its phenotypic diversity has been recognized as three subspecies—S. mystax mystax, S. mystax pileatus and S. mystax pluto—with non-overlapping geographic distributions. In this sense, we carried out an extensive field survey in their distribution areas and used a framework of taxonomic hypothesis testing of genomic data combined with an integrative taxonomic decision-making framework to carry out a taxonomic revision of S. mystax. Our tests supported the existence of three lineages/species. The first species corresponds to Saguinus mystax mystax from the left bank of the Juruá River, which was raised to the species level, and we also discovered and described animals from the Juruá–Tefé interfluve previously attr...
Every year, during one the planet’s greatest seasonal flooding events, Central Amazonian rivers i... more Every year, during one the planet’s greatest seasonal flooding events, Central Amazonian rivers inundate farmland and expand aquatic habitats, making fish harder to catch. Understudied is whether this hydrological regime impacts human dietary intakes/sufficiency, and, if so, whether it varies between communities in seasonally flooded (várzea) and non-flooded (terra firme) zones. To address this gap, we collected dietary data on 8,100 meals over the course of the hydrological cycle in six várzea and three terra firme communities, and calculated energy, carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake. Diets were dominated by fish (44%), the main source of protein and fat, and manioc flour (26%), the main source of energy and carbohydrate. Fish consumption fell as water levels rose, resulting in reduced energy and macronutrient intake in várzea communities. Terra firme communities showed greater seasonal resilience, maintaining protein and fat levels largely by increasing the consumption of wild...
Terrestrial arthropod groups, including insects, spiders, and millipedes, represent an important ... more Terrestrial arthropod groups, including insects, spiders, and millipedes, represent an important food resource for primates. However, species consumed and patterns and rates of arthropod-related feeding for most frugivorous primates are still poorly known. We examined stomach contents of 178 Amazonian primate specimens of nine genera and three families obtained from community-based collections voluntarily donated by subsistence hunters. Based on our results, we assessed whether consumption patterns followed the expected negative relationship between arthropod ingestion and body size as postulated in the Jarman-Bell and Kay models. We identified 12 consumed arthropod taxa, including insects (beetles, grasshoppers, ants, flies, caterpillars, praying mantises, and others), spiders and millipedes. Medium and large-bodied primates consumed a greater diversity (measured by Simpson’s diversity index) and richness of arthropods, but differed in terms of composition of taxa consumed. Cacajao...
Hunting behavior of the Burrowing-Owl, Athene cunicularia (Molina, 1782) (Aves: Strigiformes) in ... more Hunting behavior of the Burrowing-Owl, Athene cunicularia (Molina, 1782) (Aves: Strigiformes) in an urban environment in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.The burrowing-owl, Athene cunicularia (Molina, 1782) has a wide distribution, which extends from western North America to southern South America. They are an opportunistic plunderer species preying on insects and small mammals. Data on hunting tactics of this specie are scarce in the literature. Here, the general and hunting behaviors of the species are described in an urban environment, a university campus, in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. An adult male of A. cunicularia had its behavior studied during 14 days, in July 2005, totaling 20 hours of systematic observations using the instantaneous focal-animal method. The observations were done using 10x50 binoculars, between 06:00 and 09:00 and after 16:00, from a minimal distance of 25 m. We identified and described five behavioral categories: self-maintenance, locomotion, hunting, non-agonistic social and alert. No difference was found between behaviors displayed during morning and afternoon periods. Four hunting strategies displayed by A. cunicularia were identified (hunting in soil, air hunting, perch to soil hunting and hover flight hunting) but no difference between their frequencies was found. These behaviors were observed only after 18:00. These non-significant patterns suggest that the oportunistic hunting behavior of the birds of prey ("sit-and-wait") and the active search hunting patterns are alternated according to opportunity, identification and capture of the prey and the place of capture.
Bats are the second most diverse mammalian order worldwide. In the Neotropics, Brazil has one of ... more Bats are the second most diverse mammalian order worldwide. In the Neotropics, Brazil has one of the greatest bat richness, but species records are still very heterogeneously distributed, especially in Amazonia. Although this biome harbours 76% of Brazil’s bat fauna, basic knowledge on the distribution of Amazonian bats is far from well known, with intensive surveys at only a few sites and many areas without any records. The reduction of those gaps will improve the understanding of the bats’ distribution, with implications for management and conservation. Here we review the distribution of Trinycteris nicefori, Lionycteris spurrelli, Macrophyllum macrophyllum, and Dasypterus ega in the Brazilian Amazonia, presenting several new records for the region based both on literature review and on our own unpublished data. Our study contributes to the knowledge of the geographic distribution of these species, and the new records presented here help fill a gap in the distribution of bats in t...
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri bution-NonCo mmerc... more This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri bution-NonCo mmercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
Host-parasite relationships can be directly affected by host’s biological aspects and environment... more Host-parasite relationships can be directly affected by host’s biological aspects and environmental factors, which influence both the survival of infective forms and the incidence of parasites. However, logistical difficulties in accessing biological samples for parasitological studies makes the Amazon Forest into a poorly known region in relation to the dynamic of parasites of wild animals. Here, using 34 red howler monkeys’ biological samples donated by local subsistence hunters from two Amazon habitat types (white-water flooded forest and upland forest) as an opportune alternative, we detected four intestinal parasite taxa infecting this species (two nematodes – Trypanoxyuris sp. and Strongyloides sp., one protozoan – Entamoeba sp. –, and one not-identified trematode, the last just found for white-water flooded forest). Trypanoxyuris was the most prevalent intestinal parasite (56.5% at flooded forest and 54.5% at upland forest). There was no difference between habitat types or in...
O objetivo desse trabalho e descrever os relatos da disciplina Biologia da Conservacao no espaco ... more O objetivo desse trabalho e descrever os relatos da disciplina Biologia da Conservacao no espaco nao formal RDS Mamiraua e Amana no ensino de Pos-Graduacao em Diversidade Biologica da Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM). Atividades praticas de quantificacao de palmeiras, mungubas, embaubas e macrofitas foram realizadas para caracterizacao do ambiente. O entendimento sobre alguns conceitos basicos da Biologia da Conservacao como censo, levantamento, densidade, abundância, riqueza, habitat, unidade amostral, recursos hidricos, manejo, preservacao, conservacao, confluencia e encontro de rios, tiveram seus entendimentos mais acessiveis e fixados com a exuberância dessas unidades ao encontrar das maos e visualizar dos olhos. O monitoramente da caca, atividades em trilhas, visitas tecnicas ao Centro de Reabilitacao de peixe boi Amazonico ( Trichechus inunguis ), escavacoes em sitios arqueologicos, visitacao a pousada para o conhecimento do ecoturismo, atividades com macrofitas aquatic...
Studying the timing of the main events of embryonic and fetal development may clarify the strateg... more Studying the timing of the main events of embryonic and fetal development may clarify the strategies adopted by species to maximize neonatal survival and the consequences of these events for their life history. This study describes bone development during the fetal phase of the lowland paca (Cuniculus paca), comparing it with other precocial or altricial species, and its relationship with the species’ adaptive strategies. A total of 102 embryos/fetuses obtained over the course of 17 years through collaboration with local subsistence hunters in the Amazon were analyzed. Measurements of mineralization of the axial and appendicular skeletons were performed by ultrasonography using a 10–18‐MHz linear transducer. The chronological order of occurrence of mineralization in relation to the total dorsal length (TDL) was: skull (TDL = 4.1 cm); vertebral bodies (TDL = 4.6 cm); scapula, humerus, radius, ulna, ilium, ischium, femur, tibia, and fibula (TDL = 6.7 cm); ribs (TDL = 7.8 cm); clavicle...
Abstract. The lack of cost-effective methods to detect game species in tropical forests hinders r... more Abstract. The lack of cost-effective methods to detect game species in tropical forests hinders reliable assessments of their population status and the planning of effective actions for their sustainable use. Tortoises are among the most hunted species in Amazonia, but present low detectability in the wild when using current scientific methods. Traditional hunters in the region use specialized methods to capture tortoises, and such knowledge could provide useful insights for improving monitoring methods and, thus, scientific research on this species. Here, we compare the capture rates and cost-effectiveness of two methods to capture the endangered yellow-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis denticulatus) in Amazonia: the conventional active search and an adaptation of pitfall traps using attractive baits employed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to hunt tortoises. We sampled 40 sites in upland forests and whitewater flooded forests during the dry and wet seasons in central Amazonia and captured 37 yellow-footed tortoises. The highest capture rate (0.29 tortoises/hour) was obtained using traps in upland forests, fourfold higher than by active search. Traps also presented greater cost-effectiveness than the active search (US$63 vs US$256 per captured tortoise). Our capture rate with traps was 67 times greater than those obtained using line transects in western and northern Amazonia. The success exhibited by this widespread hunting technique is a result of centuries of hunters' traditional knowledge in the Amazon. The unveiling of a cost-effective method for capturing tortoises shows the importance of exchanging traditional and scientific knowledge; efficient capturing methods favor the inclusion of the species in long-term monitoring programs and foster in situ studies that help develop strategies for its conservation.
Globally, community-based initiatives are effective in protecting ecosystems and the species with... more Globally, community-based initiatives are effective in protecting ecosystems and the species within them. In this paper, we analyze the emergence and large-scale expansion of a community-based environmental protection system (the Voluntary Environmental Agents Program-VEA Program) in the Brazilian Amazon and identify factors that have determined its success since its inception, 25 years ago. Collective actions to protect the environment in the region have been undertaken by local people for at least 40 years, before their legal regulation in 2001 by the federal government of Brazil, and by the Amazonas state in 2007. The system is based on territorial surveillance and monitoring, and on guidelines for the better use of the territory and its natural resources. Between 1995 and 2020, the VEA Program expanded into the two protected areas where it was first implemented reaching approximately 9 thousand km 2 of area protected by the system. The number of people participating also grew in this period by around 2050%, as did the participation of women, which grew by 5600%. The system was replicated in 37 protected areas in central Amazonia, and currently covers almost 200 thousand km 2 of Amazon rainforest. From our analyses we unveil four main factors that may have allowed the VEA Program to expand and flourish: (a) the communities' previous demand for an effective control system, (b) its legal formalization and regulation, (c) the support from external institutions, and (d) the consolidation of community-based management programs to fund actions. These factors shall be further investigated as to confirm their critical role in the success of the VEA Program. We demonstrate that this community-based environmental protection system has established itself as a legitimate form of social control, and as a mechanism of socio-environmental governance in the areas in which it operates. By allowing more effective protection of territories, it generates consensus amongst users for the adequate management of natural resources, especially in contexts where government's actions are absent or inefficient. We claim that this system can be replicated in various parts of the world.
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Papers by Joao Valsecchi