Correlates of wildlife hunting in indigenous communities in the Pastaza province, Ecuadorian Amazonia

Abstract

Wild meat is an important source of dietary protein and fat for many indigenous peoples in Amazonia. However, rates of wildlife harvest are often unsustainable, threatening not only biodiversity but also the food security of indigenous peoples. During the last decades, Ecuadorian Amazonia has undergone profound socioeconomic changes which have significantly altered peoples' livelihood strategies. Little is known, however, how such changes have affected wildlife hunting. Based on data from a household survey, this paper analyzes the socioeconomic drivers of wildlife hunting among indigenous peoples in Pastaza, in the Ecuadorian Amazonia. The results of a random-effect tobit analysis reveal that, wealthier households which have higher shares of off-farm and non-farm employment tend to harvest smaller amounts of wild meat. A probable explanation to this is that having a permanent and well-paid job implies an increased opportunity cost of time, leading to a decrease in the time spent hunting and, therefore, decreased wildlife harvests.

The Effects of Road Access on Income Generation. Evidence from An Integrated Conservation and Development Project in Cameroon

“…Nevertheless, in accordance with findings from Tanzania, our results suggest that reduced hunting efforts relate to an increase in agricultural production [12]. Moreover, several studies suggest a similar link to increased income from labor and self-employment [44,49]. An increased participation in self-employment activities within road villages may thus lead to reduced hunting in KNP [50], which itself could be a consequence from time famine [44].…”

“…However, 'below median income' households did not profit from road access. This could be due to lack of capital in combination with high transportation costs [43], preventing people from reacting on structural changes (i.e., road access) with an investment in their farms or opening of a business as well as gaining market access [44]. Even for nonbusiness travels, most households are now confronted with transportation costs, which were previously only paid when hiring porters.…”

“…Moreover, several studies suggest a similar link to increased income from labor and self-employment [44,49]. An increased participation in self-employment activities within road villages may thus lead to reduced hunting in KNP [50], which itself could be a consequence from time famine [44]. Fishing provides the main source of protein in Southern Cameroon, while bushmeat hunting serves primarily to generate income [42].…”

Use of game fauna by Fulni-ô people in Northeastern Brazil: implications for conservation

“…The high rate of bird reported in our study is supported by other records in the literature that indicate the taxon as one of the most sought after by local communities in the Caatinga [5,41,47]. However, the high frequency of avifauna caught among the Fulni-ô should not only be a consequence of their high abundance but also of a greater efficiency in their attainment, since much of the incursions are carried out in groups and by applying a combination of strategies that optimize the success of the activity.…”

“…The latter author also points out that such urbanization processes can also contribute to the exclusion, invisibility, and violence of these peoples in addition to influencing the detachment from their traditional practices. These factors also imply less involvement of hunters in this activity [46][47][48], which leads the indigenous people to develop these practices in their free time. These factors are suggested in the literature as potential modelers of hunting practices due to the lower cost of obtaining the animal protein.…”