The role of ethnozoology for the mammal conservation of the Brazilian Cerrado

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the ethnozoological practices adopted by the population of the São Domingo dos Olhos D´Água (SDOA) settlement for the conservation of mammals in a fragmented landscape of the Cerrado, southern Goiás State, Brazil. Initially, we surveyed the mammal fauna in the legal reserve areas of SDOA through the active search and interview. Subsequently, we applied socioeconomic and ethnozoological questionnaires to 30 people to investigate the association of these two approaches in mammal conservation. We found 14 species of large and medium-sized mammals (5 threatened species) in the SDOA settlement. More than 90% of the interviewees have a low level of scholarly education, aged between 45 to 77 years, with agriculture and livestock as their main economic activity. All interviewees have lived in the area for more than 10 years, and 67% said they do not fish and 90% do not hunt. The inhabitants of the SDOA know its mammal fauna, regardless of scholarly education or hunting and fishing practice. On the other hand, monthly income and residence time at the settlement are socioeconomic factors that affected the degree of perception about the mammals. Ethnozoological studies associated with socioeconomic factors are an important approach in predicting knowledge about local biodiversity.