Embedded Files
Background
Background
The Tropical Andes is considered to be one of the most biodiverse regions in the world, but it is currently under threat due to anthropogenic activities [1].
A proper understanding of the social-ecological dynamics specific to a region are key for developing effective strategies for biodiversity protection and environmental management [2].
Informal interviews can help gather preliminary insights about the interactions that local community members have with their surrounding environment [3].
Research Objective
Research Objective
To gain insights on the interactions with biodiversity among a rural community living in the Tropical Andes of Cusco (Peru).
Methods
Methods
Data Collection
Data Collection
We conducted informal interviews with 7 members from the rural communities of Cadena and San Miguel, located in the Tropical Andes region in the department of Cusco (Perú).
Participants were asked to draw a map sketch that represented the interactions with their environment and to describe these to interviewers.
Data Analysis
Data Analysis
Conversations were recorded and transcribed into Spanish and then translated into English. All personal information was removed and replaced by codes for each interviewee.
We used Dedoose (a qualitative research software) to code conversations for people’s interactions with fauna and flora in the area.
SOQTAPATA Conservation Area
SOQTAPATA Conservation Area
Image features SOQTAPATA on a map in relation to the town of Quince Mil.
Map Drawing
Map Drawing
Image features community member drawing map of their town and surrounding area.
Results
Results
The following are some of the main topics that resulted from our conversations with local community members living near the Soqtapata Conservation Concession:
The following are some of the main topics that resulted from our conversations with local community members living near the Soqtapata Conservation Concession:
1. Making a living within the landscape:
The majority are horticulturalists who rely on their small plots for subsistence foods and for cash crops like plantains, pineapples, and cacao which they sell at markets (Fig. 1).
Teachers also supplement their incomes with garden products, whereas construction workers rely primarily on wage income.
2. Living next to a conservation site: Whether they had visited Soqtapata or not, all interviews voiced approval of their efforts saying things such as it is a good thing to “care of and protect everything living; animals and plants.”
Figure 1 (above). Use of biodiversity for subsistence based on primary livelihood activity of respondents.
3. Human-wildlife coexistence in a shared landscape:
Of the 8 interviewees, 7 voiced strong preference for birds, especially parrots and hummingbirds. In addition, one person particularly preferred capuchin monkeys and another was very fond of jaguars.
While wild cats, boars, and even monkeys sometimes damaged crops, the interviewees described them at worst as nuisances that simply needed to be scared away.
Snakes are the only exception: Of the 8 interviewees, 6 voiced fear of snakes, particularly vipers, and all responded that they kill snakes when given the opportunity. As one person described their fear:
“What animal scares you?
003X: Snakes. The shushupe viper [bushmaster] and the pit-viper.
C: Why do they scare you?
003X: Because they can kill you so fast.”
Discussion
Discussion
Our preliminary findings provide a general understanding of the ways in which community members in Cadena and San Miguel co-exist and interact with the biodiversity in the area.
People in the region rely heavily on biodiversity for their livelihood, and therefore the ecological integrity of these areas need to be protected so that communities can continue to use natural resources for their subsistence needs and economic activities.
Community members value areas for conservation in the region, like Soqtapata, and their efforts to protect local biodiversity.
The primary human-wildlife conflict in the community involved snakes given the threat they pose to human health. The fast action of the vipers’ venom, in combination with the limited access to a medical facility, has resulted in people killing snakes on sight to protect themselves and their family members.
Aside from snakes, community members enjoy observing wild animals that visit their homes and gardens, and overall they have a harmonious relationship with the local fauna and flora.
Future Directions
Future Directions
We will explore how people’s perceptions of different species (as nuisances or associated with local legends) might impact their survival. This can help us develop strategies on potential solutions for effective and sustainable management for pest control.
We will expand this work to include more community members, and develop prospective program opportunities for Miami University students interested in getting involved with community-based conservation strategies as well as biocultural and medical anthropological research.
Through this work, we will continue to enhance our understanding of the potential of this area of Peru as a fieldsite for the in depth study of sustainability from a One Health perspective.
References
References
[1] Myers et al. (2000). Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature, 403(6772), 853-858. [2] Virapongse et al. (2016). A social-ecological systems approach for environmental management. Journal of Environmental Management, 178, 83-91. [3] Abondano at al. (2023). Community-Based Strategies to Promote Primate Conservation in Agricultural Landscapes: Lessons Learned from Case Studies in South America. In: Primates in Anthropogenic Landscapes: Exploring Primate Behavioural Flexibility Across Human Contexts (pp. 103-120). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the Cadena and San Miguel communities in Peru for their participation; to Soqtapata’s management for coordinating the logistics of the workshops; and to the volunteers who provided assistance during these interviews. This project was funded by the American Society of Primatologists and the Humanities Center at Miami University, and approved by the Miami’s Institutional Review Board (protocol number: 05057e).
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