Influência de fatores ambientais, biológicos e antrópicos na caça e venda de quelônios de água doce em duas reservas na Amazônia Central

Abstract

Freshwater turtles have been intensively harvested for centuries and currently figure as one of the most threatened vertebrate groups in the world. Using data from 14-years of participatory monitoring of hunting in 10 communities within sustainable development reserves, we reveal patterns and trends of chelonian exploitation in Central Amazonia. We applied generalized additive models to assess use sustainability of four endangered Amazonian freshwater turtles via fluctuations in hunting productivity, body mass of hunted individuals, and selling prices in rural and urban markets over the study-period. We recorded 2,767 hunted individual freshwater turtles (summed biomass, 10,186.30 kg). Six-tubercled Amazon river turtle (Podocnemis sextuberculata) was the most hunted species by number of individuals (n=1538, 55.6%), while yellow-spotted river turtles (Podocnemis unifilis) accounted for most of the hunted biomass (n= 4360.6, 63.7%). Trade in turtles generated an overall profit of US$ 31,606.60, and while P. unifilis and South American giant river turtles (Podocnemis expansa) were relevant in the urban market, big-headed Amazon river turtles (Peltocephalus dumerilianus) and P. sextuberculata played a crucial role in guaranteeing food security for rural people. Selling prices increased during the monitoring period, with higher values obtained for some species in urban centres. After some 20 years under protection and participatory management, we detected strong evidence of chelonian population recovery in the region, since the catch-per-unit-effort and female body mass of P. sextuberculata and P. unifilis, and the body mass of both sexes of P. expansa and P. dumerilianus increased over the monitoring period. Our results highlight the effectiveness of inhabited protected areas in conserving game species, as well as the relevance of community-based monitoring as an efficient strategy to preserve long-lived chelonians in Amazonia. Chelonian population recovery helps maintain biodiversity and ecosystem services in Amazonia, and also provides social, economic and health benefits for local dwellers.