Hunting strategies used in protected areas in the atlantic rainforest of northeastern Brazil

Abstract

The significance of faunal resources and their utilization potentials for the benefit of mankind is well known, and constitute important natural resources in local communities in the Atlantic forests of region Northeastern Brazil, including in their protected areas. In order to gain access to these resources, hunters have developed a series of techniques and strategies that are described in the present work from interviews with 109 hunters in 4 official conservation units. Fifteen different techniques for the hunting and capture of wild animals have been registered, divided into 3 categories: Trapping (n=27,9%), active search (n=31%) and passive waiting (n=41,1%). All the techniques listed under the active search and passive waiting categories are complemented by the use of firearms. The environmental and administrative characteristics of the studied areas and the socioeconomic profile of the hunters interviewed, influenced the differences in the techniques and hunting strategies. Additional studies concerning these hunting activities will be useful to contribute to proposals for oversight and management plans for hunting in the region, with the objective of attaining sustainable use of faunal resources to the local human communities.