Subsistence Hunting in the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, Honduras: A Comparison of Game Abundance in Hunted and Protected Areas.

Yannick Cabassu

M.Sc. Candidate

Department of Geography and Environmental Studies

Carleton University

Ottawa, Canada

CAG Annual MeetingSaskatoon, SaskatchewanJune 1, 2007

Research Objectives

• Goal: To Investigate the effects of subsistence hunting on wildlife populations in the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, Honduras.

• Specific Aims: To compare the relative abundance of game species between a hunted site in the cultural zone of the biosphere and a non-hunted or lightly-hunted site in the nucleus zone using direct and indirect observations.

Man and the Biosphere Reserve

• Conservation Function – to contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variations.

• Development function – to foster economic and human development which is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable.

(UNESCO’S MAB Program 2005)

Biosphere Reserves in Latin America

• Indigenous People• Hunting

Study Area: Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, Moskito Coast, Honduras, May-August 2006.

Source: Adapted from Dunn 2005

Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve

• General History• Cultural Importance

– Miskito, Pech, Garifuna, Tawhaka

• Ecological importance

Zone EstimatedArea (ha)

Estimated Area (%)

Estimated Population

EstimatedPopulation (%)

Nucleus 210,432 25.4 651 1.6

Cultural 422,604 50.9 21,320 51.9

Buffer 196,739 23.7 19.111 46.5

Total 829,775 100.00 41,082 100.00

Source: House et al. 2002

Methodology

• Study period: May-Aug 2006• Informal interviews with hunters• Transects survey

– Las Marías: Four 6-km long transects.• Distance = 180 km

– Nucleus: Four 3-km long transects• Distance = 132 km

• Tracks as a measure of abundance• 10 game species, 12 non-game species

Direct and Indirect Observations of Game Species per Kilometer Around the Village of Las Marías and in the Nucleus zone, Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, May-Aug 2006.

Nucleus zone* Las Marías **

Scientific Name Common Name

# of obs

Obs/Km

# of obs

Obs/Km

Diff in obs/km†

Statistical test

p-value Significance (95% CI)

Dasypus novemcinctus

Nine-banded armadillo 202 1.53 159 0.88

+0.65 Anova

p<0.01 Yes

Dycotyles pecari

White-lipped peccary (groups) 12 0.91 2 0.01

+0.9 Kruskal-Wallis

p<0.01 Yes

Dasyprocta puntata Agouti 93 0.70 84 0.47

+0.23Anova

p = 0.01 Yes

tapirus bairdiiBaird’s tapir 92 0.70 18 0.10

+0.6  Kruskal-Wallis

p <0.01 Yes

Odocoileus virginianus White-tailed deer 60 0.45 26 0.14

+0.31 Kruskal-Wallis

p <0.01 Yes

Agouti pacaPaca 54 0.41 12 0.07

+0.34 Kruskal-Wallis

p <0.01 Yes

(Penelope purpurascens Crested guan 44 0.33 35 0.19

+0.14 Kruskal-Wallis

p <0.01Yes

Crax rubraGreat currassow 31 0.23 9 0.05

+0.18 Kruskal-Wallis

p <0.01 Yes

Mazama americana Red brocket deer 22 0.17 7 0.04

+0.13 Kruskal-Wallis

p <0.01 Yes

Tayassu tajacu Collared peccary 76 0.58 293 1.63

-1.05 Kruskal-Wallis

p = 0.39 No

•132 km of transects were surveyed in the nucleus zone (non-hunted).•** 180 km of transects were surveyed around the village of Las Marías (hunted).† Obs/Km (Nucleus) - Obs/Km (Las Marías)

Direct and Indirect Observations of Non-game Species per Kilometer Around the Village of Las Marías and in the Nucleus zone, Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, May-Aug 2006.

Nucleus zone* Las Marías **  

Scientific Name Common Name

# of obs

Obs/Km

# of obs

Obs/Km

Diff in obs/km†

Statistical test

p-value Significance (95% CI)

Ateles geoffoyi Spider monkey 79 0.60 0 0.00

+0.6 Kruskal-Wallis

p <0.01 Yes

Alouatta palliata Howler monkey 40 0.30 0 0.00

+0.3 Kruskal-Wallis

p <0.01 Yes

Puma concolorPuma 23 0.17 6 0.03

+0.14 Kruskal-Wallis

p <0.01 Yes

Panthera oncaJaguar 16 0.12 10 0.06

+0.06 Kruskal-Wallis

p <0.01 Yes

Leopardus spp Smaller felids 18 0.07 12 0.14

-0.07

Kruskal-Wallis

p <0.01

 Yes

Nasua narica White-nosed coati 20 0.15 150 0.83

-0.68 Kruskal-Wallis

p = 0.12 No

Cebus capucinus

White-faced capuchin 11 0.08 29 0.16

-0.08 Kruskal-Wallis

p = 0.99 No

Myrmecophaga tridactyla

Giant anteater 5 0.04 3 0.02

+0.02 Kruskal-Wallis

P = 0.08 No

Tamandua mexicana

Northern tamandua 3 0.02 4 0.02

0 Kruskal-Wallis

p = 0.98 No

•132 km of transects were surveyed in the nucleus zone (non-hunted).•** 180 km of transects were surveyed around the village of Las Marías (hunted).† Obs/Km (Nucleus) - Obs/Km (Las Marías)

Results

• 9/10 game species are significantly less abundant in the hunted region.

• 5/9 non-game species are significantly less abundant in the hunted region

• Higher abundance in protected area.

Discussion

• Game species less abundant in hunted region

• Non-game species also less abundant in hunted region

• Hunting or human presence?

• Lower abundance near the village (<2km) than away from it.

Conclusion