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Uses of nonhuman primates by humans in northeastern Brazil

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Abstract

Humans have used non-human primates (hereafter referred to as primates) as food source, medicine, parts of rituals, pets, and models for various studies worldwide. Here we investigated the extent of the use of primates by humans in three areas in northeastern Brazil, the country’s most impoverished region. We carried out our study in three biomes (Caatinga, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest). The results showed that humans exploited all five primate species occurring in the study sites: Callithrix jacchus, Sapajus flavius, Sapajus libidinosus, Alouatta belzebul, and Alouatta ululata. They used the primates as a food source, as pets and medicines, and for leisure. Despite socioeconomic differences in the study areas, we found similarities in the use of primates. Larger primates were targeted for meat, whereas the small common marmosets were targeted as pets. We found conflicting interactions between humans and bearded capuchins due to crop raiding, but no such conflict was found between humans and blonde capuchins, reflecting the differences in crop type, pattern, and tradition in the sites. A. ululata was used as medicine. We suggest that environmental education actions in the study areas should focus on (i) raising awareness among local people of the ecological importance of primates, (ii) providing alternative activities to hunting whenever possible, and (iii) minimising conflicts.

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Acknowledgements

This study is a joint contribution from the Projeto Primatas do Litoral Norte, Projeto Galego, and Projeto Guariba. We sincerely thank the local communities for their support and participation in the interviews. We also thank Andressa Fraga and Nádia Freitas for their assistance in the field.

Funding

Projeto Guariba has been supported by Rufford Foundation (Grant Number: 19646­1); Projeto Galego (Blonde capuchin research conservation project) has been supported by the Rufford Foundation (Grant Number: 23362-B); Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation, FACEPE (APQ-1534-2.04/10; APQ-0143-2.04/14; BFT-0160-2.04/17; BFT-0014-2.05/20; BFT-0014-2.05/20; BFT-0056-2.04/20), CNPq (Universal 445071/2014-1), and UFPE Qualis A and productive grants. CC and Projeto Primatas do Litoral Norte have been supported by UFPB/CNPq (PVP-362). RFF is supported by FACEPE (Fundação de Amparo a Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco, IBPG­1236­2.05/16) and CAPES (Financial code 001). BB is supported by a CNPq-Productivity grant (309256/2019-4).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Centro de Biociências, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, Recife, Pernambuco, 50670-420, Brazil

    Robério Freire Filho & Bruna Martins Bezerra

  2. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Monitoramento Ambiental, Centro de Ciências Aplicadas e Educação, Departamento de Engenharia e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil

    Carla Soraia Soares de Castro

  3. Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal

    Catarina Casanova

  4. ISCSP, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

    Catarina Casanova

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  1. Robério Freire Filho
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  2. Carla Soraia Soares de Castro
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  3. Catarina Casanova
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  4. Bruna Martins Bezerra
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Correspondence to Robério Freire Filho.

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This study agrees with the ethical code developed by the British Sociological Association for the conduct of interviews (https://www.britsoc.co.uk/media/24310/bsa_ statement_of_ethical_practice.pdf). The studies in region 1 and region 2 were endorsed by the MSc Programme in Conservation Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Lisbon University, Portugal. The study in region 3 was authorised by the Brazilian Environmental Agency (SISBIO/ICMBio:47436) and the Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Paraíba (1.531.237).

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Filho, R.F., de Castro, C.S.S., Casanova, C. et al. Uses of nonhuman primates by humans in northeastern Brazil. Primates 62, 777–788 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-021-00919-5

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