Impacts of Subsistence Game Hunting on Amazonian Primates

Abstract

Formillenia, coexistence between human and nonhuman primates has been mystical in all tropical forest regions. Many primate populations have, however, contributed to human diets, often resulting in drastic declines of several species. Although socio-cultural and religious taboos may still limit predation in contemporary times, harvesting of primate populations remains a frequent occurrence throughout the humid tropics. Population declines and local extinctions in relation to direct human exploitation are widely reported in South and Central America, with large-bodied species as the first target species being the most dramatically affected.We illustrate the relationships between offtakes by local communities and wild primate populations using two cases studies. Subsistence hunting has affected game populations throughout lowland Amazonia, with profound consequences to the size structure of primate assemblages, affecting even some of the most remote parts of the region. In French Guiana, the richness of primate communities and the abundance of large cebids were negatively correlated with levels of hunting pressure. Monitoring of harvests by both native and non-native communities revealed that the relative contribution of primate meat to the total harvest was highly variable, ranging from less than 1% to more than 20%. As shown in previous studies, predicted estimates of maximum sustainable yields suggest that harvests need not be very high before they begin to drive primate populations to precipitous declines. Although most studies of tribal communities conclude that, with traditional use of space and respect for cultural beliefs, harvests may be sustainable for some species, the status of primate populations facing subsistence hunting pressure by indigenous groups is profoundly complicated by the fact that harvests interact with other threats, such as road building, logging, and additive hunting by nontribal immigrants. All Amazonian studies show that most primates are simply unable to coexist with unregulated hunting, even for the most benign subsistence purposes, as soon as human population densities increase. We therefore question the widespread belief that traditional communities share an intuitive wisdom to ensure the sustainable use of natural resources. In most cases, harmonious coexistence between indigenous groups and forest wildlife is more related to low densities of the indigenous population and small offtakes exerted on habitats with negligible changes, rather than an active adaptive body of knowledge guiding a successful resource management system. Reconciling the subsistence needs of local peoples and the requirements of primate populations will therefore always remain a difficult challenge. However, demarcation of indigenous territories and subsequent enforcement of territorial rights can provide adequate incentives for long-term resource management. Efficient conservation action plans designed for sensitive species and respect for traditional cultures will also require further research and policy action. Ecological studies should include improvedmonitoring of population trends and the dynamics between source and sink areas. Finally, long-standing socioeconomic knowledge will be necessary to propose viable alternatives to primate hunting, and a “conservation community” approach should be promoted, with efficient economic returns to local communities.