Perception and use of birds in rural ecosystems of Salta, Jujuy and southern Bolivia

Abstract

In order to know the perception and use of the avifauna by local communities in the ecosystems of the Salta Province, field surveys were carried out between 1997–2007 in the Semiarid Chaco, the Monte, the Prepuna, the Puna and the Tucumano-Bolivian Forest of Salta, Jujuy and southern Bolivia. In the Semiarid Chaco, through participant observation and open interviews with hunters from 37 localities, 13 species used for food were identified, some of which are also used for the trade of meat, pets or feathers. In the rest of the ecosystems the species used were identified through a school activity in which the students drew all the wild animals they knew, indicating the use of each one, and in the Monte and Prepuna workshops were also held with the parents of the students. In the Monte, the activity was carried out in 17 schools in the Calchaqui Valley, involving 364 children and 49 parents. The survey in the Prepuna was carried out in the El Toro Gorge, in 6 schools with 83 students. In the Puna, 326 children from 8 schools participated in Salta, 3 in Jujuy and 1 in Villazón, Bolivia, in addition to 44 key informants. Finally, the activity was carried out in the Acambuco Provincial Reserve as representative of the Tucuman-Bolivian Moist Forest, where 81 children from 2 localities and 5 hunters participated, acting as key informants, identifying 26 species. The local inhabitants have a perception of wildlife oriented to use, so management plans should consider that subsistence hunting and control are practiced, even in protected areas.