The Baird’s tapir(Tapirus bairdii)is a popular game species throughout Central America,particularly among in-digenous populations,and is currently endangered.Research on Miskitu hunting was conducted over 4 months in...The Baird’s tapir(Tapirus bairdii)is a popular game species throughout Central America,particularly among in-digenous populations,and is currently endangered.Research on Miskitu hunting was conducted over 4 months in a remote region in northeastern Honduras that overlaps with the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve.The hunting zone was mapped together with hunters and interviews were conducted with elders and other community mem-bers about tapir hunting.Results show that tapir harvesting is targeted toward specific habitats at specific times of year.Harvest rates for one year suggest that tapir hunting in the area exceeds estimates of maximum sustain-able production.Nevertheless,field surveys reveal the presence of tapir within 1 km of the community,and its harvest tends to be nearby,in both forested and agricultural landscapes,suggesting that the animal has not been depleted in the area.It appears that the existence of forest areas adjacent to the hunting zone that do not experi-ence hunting,together with the anthropogenic habitats created through shifting cultivation,are factors that help explain the presence of tapirs in the area.The article concludes with a discussion regarding the potential posi-tive role of indigenous hunters in tapir conservation throughout its distribution range.展开更多
文摘The Baird’s tapir(Tapirus bairdii)is a popular game species throughout Central America,particularly among in-digenous populations,and is currently endangered.Research on Miskitu hunting was conducted over 4 months in a remote region in northeastern Honduras that overlaps with the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve.The hunting zone was mapped together with hunters and interviews were conducted with elders and other community mem-bers about tapir hunting.Results show that tapir harvesting is targeted toward specific habitats at specific times of year.Harvest rates for one year suggest that tapir hunting in the area exceeds estimates of maximum sustain-able production.Nevertheless,field surveys reveal the presence of tapir within 1 km of the community,and its harvest tends to be nearby,in both forested and agricultural landscapes,suggesting that the animal has not been depleted in the area.It appears that the existence of forest areas adjacent to the hunting zone that do not experi-ence hunting,together with the anthropogenic habitats created through shifting cultivation,are factors that help explain the presence of tapirs in the area.The article concludes with a discussion regarding the potential posi-tive role of indigenous hunters in tapir conservation throughout its distribution range.
