Understanding wild meat consumption, trade and sustainability in the Amazon

The meat from wild animals, or wild meat, is critical to the survival of rural and Indigenous people worldwide. Typically, these communities live in remote places where access to domestic meats is limited. Unregulated wild meat extraction alongside the increasing demand by urban residents can impact game species populations. In the Amazon, limited information is available on the drivers of wild meat use and trade in rural and urban areas. Knowledge of life-history parameters of Amazonian game species, useful for determining their resilience to hunting, is also lacking. In this thesis I: 1) investigate patterns and drivers of wild meat consumption and trade in the Amazon, and 2) present new data on lifehistory parameters of a widely hunted species, the lowland paca (Cuniculus paca), and advance ways of gathering such data from the wild. In the first part of the thesis, I study the consumption of wild meat by rural and urban households in Amazonas, the largest state in Brazil. I demonstrate that the number of hunters living in rural households determines the rates of consumption and the probability of trading wild meat. I show that flavour of certain species increases their consumption rates, and body mass of the species determines its trade price. I also model the relationship between wild meat use and a selection of important socioeconomic indices in five cities in the Brazilian Amazon. I use the results of this model to scale up to all of 62 main urban settlements in Amazonas. This is the first large-scale estimation of wild meat amounts consumed and traded across the entire Brazilian Amazon. I found that the frequency of wild meat consumption in these cities was positively correlated with the proportion of rural population and with the per capita gross domestic product of the municipality. I estimate 10,691 tonnes of wild meat consumed annually in central Amazonia, 6.49 kg per person per year, and US$21.72 per person or US$35.1 million annual overall in terms of trade. In the second part of my thesis, I investigate the reproductive parameters of the lowland paca from data collected using community-based hunting monitoring and collection of biological materials. I used information gathered over 17 years in a site in Brazil and another in Peru. I found that lowland pacas reproduce seasonally. Moreover, the period of the year when more pregnant females were found overlaps with the period of higher hunting rates, which may likely affect populations of the species. I also found that the species reaches maturity at 4 months of age, at least 3 months earlier than previously reported in the literature. No signs of senescence in the species was detected. I then tested the efficacy of local people in diagnosing pregnancy in hunted female lowland pacas, and used these results to correct hunted specimens’ reproductive status data, voluntarily collected by hunters as part of a citizen science project. I show that local people correctly diagnosed pregnancy in 72.5% and 88.2% of tests before and after training, respectively. Monthly pregnancy rates determined by hunters and by researchers were similar. Reported annual pregnancy rates were negatively correlated with the productivity of hunting events, and positively associated with the percentage of immatures in the hunted population. This demonstrates that the voluntary diagnosis of game species’ reproductive status by local people is a feasible method to obtain accurate life-history parameters. The information presented in this thesis can help ascertain sustainability of wild meat use in Amazonia

Symposium: Can intellectual history be done otherwise?

Using Shahzad Bashir’s open-access publication A New Vision for Islamic Pasts and Futures as a baseline, this symposium debates whether and how intellectual history can be done otherwise. Mohamed ‘Arafa follows Bashir’s invitation to explore the potential of open-ended historiographies when he thinks about the viability of a flexible method to interpret Sharī͑a. Nader El-Bizri interrogates whether the assemblage of personal experiential accounts offered by Bashir can be framed within the discourse of intellectual history at all. Nauman Faizi reads Bashir’s approach as a radical attempt to open up hermeneutical possibilities. Lena Salaymeh suggests that modern aesthetics can contribute to neo-colonial distortions of the Islamic tradition, rather than offering alternatives to positivist historiography. Bashir proposes in his response that academics adopt generosity as an analytical gesture in their academic writing, a generosity that would enable different ways of being human in the world

Comparative gastrointestinal organ lengths among Amazonian primates (Primates: Platyrrhini)

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

Caça de Vertebrados no Parque Nacional da Serra do Divisor, Acre

Apesar de a caça de animais silvestres garantir a segurança alimentar de populações rurais e indígenas na Amazônia, a atividade representa um desafio para a conservação da biodiversidade. Mesmo em unidades de conservação (UCs), o impacto da extração de vertebrados ainda é pouco conhecido, dificultando ações de manejo e a implementação de estratégias de conservação adequadas à realidade local. Neste trabalho, apresentamos o perfil da atividade de caça de uma comunidade tradicional do Parque Nacional da Serra do Divisor (PNSD), no sudoeste da Amazônia. Através de entrevistas semiestruturadas, realizadas em janeiro de 2018, e de dados originados de atividades de fiscalização desenvolvidas entre janeiro de 2016 e janeiro de 2018, identificamos que 57,9% dos 69 vertebrados com ocorrência confirmada para a área de uso da comunidade Pé da Serra são alvos de caça para alimentação. Cerca de um quinto das espécies ameaçadas em listas nacionais e internacionais é citado como fonte de alimento. Os ungulados, aves, roedores caviomorfos, o tatu-verdadeiro (Dasypus novemcinctus) e o jabuti (Chelonoidis denticulatus) constituíram os grupos taxonômicos mais frequentemente citados e mais apreciados para consumo. Para o abate e captura de vertebrados cinegéticos, foram registrados o emprego da busca ativa, a focagem com uso de lanternas, armadilhas de arma de fogo e a espera. Os moradores da comunidade também utilizam a fauna silvestre para fins medicinais, como animal de estimação e na alimentação de animais domésticos. Apesar de o comércio de produtos animais não ter sido relatado pelos moradores, verificamos que 30,8% das missões de fiscalização realizadas no PNSD resultaram em apreensão de itens silvestres. A biomassa total interceptada foi de 428,08kg. A espécie mais registrada nas apreensões foi C. denticulatus, totalizando 37,9% do total de animais interceptados. A diversidade de espécies e os usos a elas atribuídos, revelados neste levantamento, destacam a importância do recurso faunístico para as populações humanas do PNSD. É através do uso de técnicas produtivas de baixo impacto, associado a empreendimentos locais de geração alternativa de renda, e criação de mecanismos de governança local, que a biodiversidade poderá ser conservada ou mantida na região

From international to local: promoting local volunteer tourism to guarantee the persistence of wildlife conservation projects in the post-covid-19 era

Volunteer tourists, often foreigners, collect essential data in wildlife conservation projects worldwide. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, international tourism activities reduced drastically, forcing many conservation projects to shut down. Using a nine-year (2013–2021) case study in Indonesia, we examine how local and foreign tourists construct the meaning of their volunteer experiences in the light of COVID-19. We aim to highlight the potential benefits of local volunteer tourism to face the travel limitations posed by COVID-19, and to show an example of how conservation projects can overcome the challenges of the current and potential future pandemics. We recruited 117 volunteers (49 Indonesians, 68 foreign; 73 females, 44 males; mean age: 24.2 ± SD 4.7) that collected 50.8% of the total amount of data collected by the project over the same period. Of the 117 volunteers, 81 of them (38 Indonesians, 43 foreigners) filled in a feedback form at the end of their stay. Via logistic regressions, we found that Indonesian volunteers declared more positive feedback on the logistics at the research station (p = 0.047). Via Bayesian structural equation models, we found that Indonesian volunteers reported significantly more frequently than foreign volunteers that they learned new skills (89% Credible Interval = 0.017–0.351) and that they gained personal wisdom, growth and maturity (89% Credible Interval = 0.891–1.003) from the volunteer experience. The volunteer program evolved from being 100% foreign volunteers in 2013 to 100% Indonesian volunteers by 2020 at the peak of the pandemic, which helped maintain the continuity of the research and conservation activities. We presented the positive implications of shifting towards local volunteer tourists in a long-term conservation project. We suggest that promoting local volunteer tourism through training new generations of nationals in conservation projects is key to guarantee the persistence of such initiatives in the post-COVID-19 Era. Volunteer tourists, often foreigners, collect essential data in wildlife conservation projects worldwide. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, international tourism activities reduced drastically, forcing many conservation projects to shut down. Using a nine-year (2013–2021) case study in Indonesia, we examine how local and foreign tourists construct the meaning of their volunteer experiences in the light of COVID-19. We aim to highlight the potential benefits of local volunteer tourism to face the travel limitations posed by COVID-19, and to show an example of how conservation projects can overcome the challenges of the current and potential future pandemics. We recruited 117 volunteers (49 Indonesians, 68 foreign; 73 females, 44 males; mean age: 24.2 ± SD 4.7) that collected 50.8% of the total amount of data collected by the project over the same period. Of the 117 volunteers, 81 of them (38 Indonesians, 43 foreigners) filled in a feedback form at the end of their stay. Via logistic regressions, we found that Indonesian volunteers declared more positive feedback on the logistics at the research station (p = 0.047). Via Bayesian structural equation models, we found that Indonesian volunteers reported significantly more frequently than foreign volunteers that they learned new skills (89% Credible Interval = 0.017–0.351) and that they gained personal wisdom, growth and maturity (89% Credible Interval = 0.891−1.003) from the volunteer experience. The volunteer program evolved from being 100% foreign volunteers in 2013 to 100% Indonesian volunteers by 2020 at the peak of the pandemic, which helped maintain the continuity of the research and conservation activities. We presented the positive implications of shifting towards local volunteer tourists in a long-term conservation project. We suggest that promoting local volunteer tourism through training new generations of nationals in conservation projects is key to guarantee the persistence of such initiatives in the post-COVID-19 Era

LED flashlight technology facilitates wild meat extraction across the tropics

Hunting for wild meat in the tropics provides subsistence and income for millions of people. Methods have remained relatively unchanged since the introduction of shotguns and battery-powered incandescent flashlights, but the short battery life of such flashlights has limited nocturnal hunting. However, hunters in many countries throughout the tropics have recently begun to switch to brighter and more efficient light-emitting diode (LED) flashlights. Such brighter spotlights stimulate the freeze response of many species, and improved battery life allows hunters to pursue game more often and for longer periods of time. Interviews with hunters in African and South American tropical forests revealed that LEDs increase the frequency and efficiency of nocturnal hunting, and subsequently the number of kills made. In Brazil, these findings were supported by harvest data. The marked change in efficiency brought about by LEDs, well known to hunters around the world, poses a major threat to wildlife. Here we consider the implications of the increasing use of LED lights in hunting for communities, governments, wildlife managers, and conservationists

Are larger primates less faunivorous? Consumption of arthropods by Amazonian primates does not fulfil the Jarman-Bell and Kay models

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, Sapajus and Cebus consumed proportionally more Orthoptera and Coleoptera compared to the other primate genera analyzed. We did not find significant correlations between richness and diversity of arthropods consumed and primate body mass. There was a slight tendency for the decrease in the relative content of arthropods in the diet with increased body mass in medium and large primates, which does not provide full support for the Jarman-Bell and Kay models. The study of arthropod consumption by arboreal primates in the wild remains challenging. Our study suggests that arthropods supply essential nutrients for frugivorous primates, and provides an alternative method to analyse faunal consumption patterns in primates

Involving local communities for effective citizen science: determining game species' reproductive status to assess hunting effects in tropical forests

Involving communities in sustainable wildlife management in tropical forests can ensure food security and livelihoods of millions of forest dwellers that depend on wild meat, and also safeguard hunted species. Mathematical models have been developed to assess hunting sustainability; but these require empirical information on reproductive parameters of the prey species, often challenging to obtain. Here, we suggest that if local people can accurately identify the reproductive status of hunted animals in the field, these data could fill the existing knowledge gap regarding species' life-history traits and enable better assessments of hunting impacts. We first tested whether local people in 15 rural communities in three Amazonian sites could accurately diagnose, before and after training, the pregnancy status of hunted pacas Cuniculus paca, which we use as our model. We then applied the results from these tests to correct reproductive status data of hunted specimens, voluntarily collected over 17 years (2002–2018) as part of a citizen-science project in one of our study sites. We ran generalized additive models to contrast these corrected reproductive rates with those obtained from the direct analysis of genitalia by researchers, and with indices describing game extraction levels (catch-per-unit-effort, CPUE, and age structure of hunted individuals). Before training, interviewees correctly diagnosed pregnancy in 72.5% of tests, but after training, interviewees accurately diagnosed pregnancy in 88.2% of tests, with high improvements especially for earlier pregnancy stages. Monthly pregnancy rates determined by hunters and by researchers were similar. Reported annual pregnancy rates were negatively correlated with CPUE, and positively correlated with the percentage of immatures in the hunted population, in accordance with an expected density-dependent response to variations in hunting levels. Synthesis and applications. We show that the voluntary diagnosis of game species' reproductive status by local people is a feasible method to obtain accurate life-history parameters for hunted tropical species, and to assess hunting effects on game populations. Given that almost half of the protected areas in the world are co-managed by local people, our results confirm the potential of integrating local communities in citizen-science initiatives to ensure faster, low-cost and more accurate data collection for wildlife management