Sustentabilidade em Unidades de Conservação: Avaliação do uso da fauna de vertebrados de médio e grande porte (com ênfase em quelônios) na Floresta Nacional do Amapá, Brasil

Abstract

Medium and large bodied Amazonian vertebrates, including chelonians such as Podocnemisunifilis (Yellow spotted river turtle) are species that have a historic of exploitation by local populations. However, the overexploitation of sources of protein such as meat and eggs are the major threats to the viability and conservation of vertebrates in the Amazon. This study evaluated the medium and large bodied vertebrates uses for subsistence, with an emphasis on chelonians (P. unifilis) and examined whether there was an influence of the monthly income of the interviewees in the consumption of yellow spotted river turtle eggs. From March 2011 to June 2012, we conducted 51 semi-structured interviews, in riverside houses along the Falsinoand Araguari rivers, located in and around the Amapá National Forest (0°55'N, 51°35'W). Simultaneously, from September to November 2012, 41 beaches in the Falsino River were monitored and yellow spotted river nests were quantified. The beaches were characterized by substrate type, percentage of vegetation cover and area. The locations of the interviews and the beaches were georeferenced using a GPS. The results indicate that the interviewees’ monthly income has little influence on turtle eggs consumption in the study area. From all interviewees, 44 (86%) confirmed that feed on turtle eggs. Interviewees with lower income than R$ 500.00, 88% (n= 22) feedon turtle eggs (mean 34 eggs/year), while the ones with incomes greater than R$ 501.00 feed on turtle eggs in 85% (n=22) (mean 40 eggs/year). From the 41 beaches monitored, we found 382 turtle nests, and beaches with fine sand soil type and a higher percentage of vegetation cover tended to have the largest number of nests. Thus, the results suggest that family income has little influence on the consumption of eggs in the study area and that other factors such as cultural tradition may be influencing the turtle eggs consumption. The conservation and maintenance of chelonian populations in the study area and surroundings depend on environmental education activities and sustainable use of natural resources