GAME MAMMALS AND THEIR USES BY LOCAL HUNTERS IN AN ATLANTIC FOREST REGION OF NORTHEAST BRAZIL

Resumen

The present study records how hunters from the municipality of Santa Luzia do Itanhy (SLI) know and use game mammals. The municipality is located in the state of Sergipe, northeastern Brazil, and the study took place from May 2017 to July 2018. Information on the presence and use of mammals was sampled through semi-structured forms, complemented by the “snowball” method, free interviews, and non-formal conversations. We talk with 16 informants, indicating the presence of 27 game mammal species from 8 orders and 16 families, along with 35 citations of uses. Mammals are hunted for a variety of purposes, such as food (16 citations), zootherapy (6 citations), magic (6 citations), crafts (1 citation), religion (1 citation), besides targets of conflict (5 citations). The present records indicate that species with higher use-value can have higher hunting pressure locally. This, together with historical habitat loss due to land-use change subject species for population decrease, leading them to local extinction. This results highlight the immediate requirement of local management, preserve and conservation measures, with special attention to the threatened species. This set of measures must take into account the social-cultural aspects of the local communities. Besides, this contribution may enhances further ethnographical and ethnozoological studies for Sergipe.