ETNOBIOLOGÍA

THE INTERACTION OF WOMEN TENTEHAR WITH PLANTS, IN THE VILLAGE MORRO BRANCO, GRAJAÚ – MARANHÃO, BRAZIL

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

With the aim of getting to know the plants cultivated by the Tentehar women from the Morro Branco village, Grajaú–MA, we carried out a qualitative approach, with on-site observations and semi-structured interviews with eight women. Of the 27 plants mentioned, we emphasize a drink containing several plants, in the prophylaxis and in the eatment of Covid-19. We highlight that women created their own protocols, based on local knowledge, sayings and actions, to face the disease, but, we believe that the most important measure was the creation of a sanitary barrier, which prevented non-residents from entering the village. The interaction of these women with plants goes beyond management, as they demonstrate ancestral knowledge about plants and their different uses and customs. We observed a relationship of intimacy and respect between the interlocutors and the plants grown in their backyards, revealing a set of knowledge, beliefs and experiences, which is based on daily interaction with its cultivars, that could contribute to environmental education, supported by the establishment of conservation strategies for the village's natural resources.

CONFLICT FACTORS BETWEEN JAGUARS AND PEASANT COMMUNITIES IN THE SAN JUAN BLOCK IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF VILLAGARZÓN, PUTUMAYO, COLOMBIA

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Human-wildlife conflict is a socio-ecological problem that affects the conservation status of carnivores such as the jaguar, which are persecuted and hunted because of the economic losses they cause to communities. Considering that this phenomenon involves socio-cultural aspects, the perception of wildlife and human-feline conflict was analyzed based on surveys, social mapping and interviews. The results suggest that, in the study area, the perception towards wildlife is mainly positive, especially because of the functionality that certain species can represent for the community. According to the community's perception, the domestic animals most affected by human-wildlife conflict were poultry, with the main predator being "the jaguar" and, to a lesser extent, other carnivores. The factors of human-feline conflict in El Bloque San Juan are inadequate management of domestic animals, proximity of human properties to forested areas, and possibly seasonality.

Análisis del Uso, Conocimiento y Percepción de la Fauna Silvestre en la Comunidad Indígena “La Unión”, Etnia Pijao de San Antonio, Tolima, Colombia

Edison Daniel Bonilla Liberato (Author) — Fri, 02 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Understanding the different ways in which societies interact with wildlife is essential, as these relationships determine their uses, management, perceptions, and cultural values, which directly and indirectly impact conservation efforts. However, in recent decades, many Indigenous and rural communities have lost part of their traditional knowledge, affecting both biological and cultural diversity. This loss limits the development of wildlife management strategies that actively involve and recognize local communities. This study analyzed the ethnozoological relationships of the Indigenous community La Unión, belonging to the Pijao ethnic group in the Tolima department, Colombia. This ethnic group has faced a continuous struggle for the recognition of its rights and identity within its territory. Through semi-structured interviews with 41 community members, 38 taxa used for different purposes were documented, with mammals being the most representative group. The most culturally significant species were Dasypus novemcinctus, Dasyprocta punctata, and Coragyps atratus. Species were identified for their use as food sources, pets, and traditional medicine, highlighting the first record of Eira barbara, Aotus lemurinus, and Cerdocyon thous as part of the diet in local communities. Additionally, D. novemcinctus and C. atratus were found to play an important role in traditional medicine. The findings emphasize the need to assess the population status of these species in the municipality, integrate traditional knowledge into conservation and sustainable management strategies, and strengthen ethnozoological research in other Pijao communities to better understand the relationship between biodiversity and culture across different altitudinal gradients.

Mamíferos Ameaçados no Parque Nacional de Sete Cidades: Integrando Dados Documentais e Saberes Locais

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

O Brasil é o^2ºpaís mais rico em mamíferos do mundo, possui cerca de 701 espécies em seu território, sendo 102 oficialmente ameaçadas de extinção em táxons de mamíferos continentais. O presente trabalho realizou um estudo etnozoológico da fauna de mamíferos ameaçada de extinção encontrada no Parque Nacional das Sete Cidades (PNSC) (Piauí, Nordeste do Brasil), uma área ecótona que conta com dois biomas brasileiros, Cerrado e Caatinga. Os biomas têm 41 e 15 táxons ameaçados, respectivamente. Para identificar os táxons ameaçados localmente e as pressões sofridas, foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com comunidades do entorno e trabalhadores do PNSC, visitas guiadas e utilização de dados secundários como listas oficiais de fauna ameaçada (IUCN, ICMBio e CITES). Dentre os resultados, foi possível verificar que os táxons ameaçados são encontrados em maior abundância dentro do PARNA, de acordo com a percepção dos entrevistados. Os mamíferos encontrados no PNSC considerados mais ameaçados são da família Felidae, Dasypodidae, Drasypoctidae, Tayassuidae, Cervidae e Caviidae. As principais ameaças encontradas na região são caça e captura, desmatamento, incêndios, atropelamentos e espécies exóticas. No entanto, por se tratar de uma área protegida, verifica-se que o PARNA da Sete Cidade possui habitats viáveis e saudáveis, com áreas prioritárias para suportar a presença de predadores de topo, mesmo tendo passado por extinções locais. Como resultado final, foram encontradas 22 espécies de mamíferos consideradas localmente ameaçadas, servindo de guia para ações de conservação na região.

Current Status and Conservation Strategies of the Local Varieties of Carica Papaya in the Yucatan Peninsula

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The Yucatan Peninsula is a living repository of biodiversity, where Maya communities have historically played a pivotal role in cultivating, preserving, and transmitting deep knowledge about the sustainable management of natural resources, especially fruit species. This research analyzes the current situation of the conservation status, traditional uses, and ecological and economic significance of two local varieties of papaya (Carica papaya) “cera amarilla” and “mamey”. To this end, it conducted semi-structured interviews and complemented with participant observation of 16 producers located in the states of Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo who cultivated these two local varieties in addition to the commercial variety Maradol. The results obtained suggest that the producers have a deep knowledge of the varieties, despite having limited academic training in the field, and acknowledge the cultural, medicinal and ecological importance of their conservation. However, the results identified three important challenges that hinder their preservation and cultivation, lack of market, low productivity compared to commercial varieties, and lack of interest of younger generations in getting involved in their cultivation. Therefore, this research suggests that there is a need to establish comprehensive strategies that combine traditional knowledge of agriculture with innovative approaches, promoting the development of adequate markets, strengthening government support, and the participation of local communities to ensure the preservation of the “cera amarilla” and “mamey” papaya varieties.

Chiropetalum tricuspidatum: Una Fuente Olvidada de Colorante Azul en Chile y su Relación con Otros Azules Históricos

Ximena Moreno Herrera, Marcela Ibañez Muñoz (Author) — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Native indigo bearing plants can be found almost globally, and they have been used for millennia to dye textiles with blue. Since Pre-Columbian times, textiles have been dyed blue in central south Chile, but only one plant – Chiropetalum tricuspidatum - is mentioned as a potential source of blue by the historical sources. Nowadays, this plant is not used in natural dyeing. A review of the historical and scientific literature was carried out, aimed to identify the procedures used to obtain blue from this plant or other plants from the same family, and to determine if they contain any precursor of indigo or other substances able to produce a blue dye, according to phytochemical analyses. Additionally, samples of Chiropetalum tricuspidatum were observed. According to the literature review, two plants of the Euphorbiaceae family had been used historically to produce blue color in Europe and Asia. In both cases, a poor fastness on textile fibers was reported. The blue color produced by these plants is due to hermidin, and no indigo precursors are present. Direct observations of ventosilla agree with reports about these plants: the dried parts of the plant are blue, and the soaking water initially is colored blue, but the day after, it had turned red. Future research should explore other possibilites suggested by the literature, such as the utility of ventosilla in indigo vats as a reducer, if the use of mineral mordants could improve its fastness, and its potential use in paint making.

Un Acercamiento a la Documentación del Léxico Zoológico en la Lexicografía de Lenguas Mayas

Fernando Guerrero Martínez (Author) — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Ethnobiological knowledge is codified in vernacular languages. Zoological vocabulary is a means of accessing the deep and complex relationships between people and animals. Mayan is one of the most studied language families in Mesoamerica. Lexicographic research on Mayan languages is heterogeneous, both in terms of the languages that have received more attention than others and in terms of the objectives, approaches, and scope of the dictionaries produced to date. Lexicographic documentation of biological linguistic domains, including animal vocabulary, is also varied within the Mayan family. Taking this into account, this paper aims to offer a general review of the documentation of zoological vocabulary that has been produced to date in Mayan languages for exclusively lexicographic purposes, emphasizing the different types of works and their objectives, the methodologies used to obtain the data, and the zoological content of the dictionaries themselves. The results of the review of the presence and treatment of zoological vocabulary in the lexicography of Mayan languages reveal various issues. Key among these are the correspondence between vernacular and scientific names, the ways of taxonomically identifying the animals referred to, the methods used to recognize species and establish bridges of understanding, and the depth of ethnozoological knowledge displayed in vocabularies and dictionaries. The conclusions include reflections on the importance of interdisciplinarity in lexicographic documentation projects oriented toward ethnobiological domains and the urgency of expanding such work, given the rapid transformation of ecosystems as a result of habitat loss, the disappearance of species, and their correspondence with the decline of the associated vocabulary.

A Captura e Preparação da Gordura da Sucuri (Eunectes murinus) para Uso Zooterápico na Amazônia

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Gorduras e óleos animais são amplamente utilizados em todo o mundo para a produção de produtos zootécnicos para diversos fins, incluindo tratamento de reumatismo, cura e epilepsia. A gordura do sucuri ( Eunectes murinus Linnaeus, 1758) é um produto zootécnico bastante difundido em toda a sua distribuição. Para ampliar o conhecimento sobre a etnomedicina utilizada na região Norte do Brasil, neste trabalho descreveremos detalhadamente o processo de preparação de produtos zootécnicos a partir da gordura do sucuri, como adquirir os exemplares e características dos animais que influenciam a qualidade da gordura. Estudos químicos e farmacológicos aprofundados devem ser realizados com a gordura do açúcar para verificar quais componentes ou interações entre componentes são realmente responsáveis pela ação cicatrizante e anti-inflamatória. Em geral, estudos devem ser realizados para avaliar a demanda por esse produto e os índices de captura e coleta de animais atropelados para verificar se a produção de medicamentos para animais representa uma preocupação para a conservação da espécie.