Biodiversity Conservation and Local Ecological
Knowledge from Human Communities 

in the Northeast of Brazil

2. Centro de Administração e Políticas Públicas,Instituto de Ciências Sociais e Políticas, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal

Abstract: The local ecological knowledge has important implications for conservation of biodiversity. This research aimed to investigate the local ecological fauna knowledge of communities living around Atlantic forest’s protected areas in the northeastern Brazil. Interviews were held with communities A (n = 16) and B (n = 28). The questions respondents were: 1) which animals are seen frequently; 2) there is animal consumption; 3) which animals are consumed and which aren’t consumed. The animals most often seen by the communities were Micrurus ibiboboca Merrem, 1820; Cerdocyon thous Linnaeus, 1766; Bradypus variegatus Schinz, 1825; Dasyprocta iack Feijó & Langguth, 2013; Dasypus novemcinctus Linnaeus, 1758; Sapajus flavius Schreber, 1774; Callitrix jacchus Linnaeus, 1758 and Alouatta belzebul Linnaeus, 1766. Among them Dasyprocta iacki and Dasypus novemcinctus are hunted to be consumed with alcoholic drinks as a snack. C. jacchus is hunted also, but to be kept in the houses as a pet. The interaction of communities with animals revealed the diversity of the local fauna as well as the hunting activity. Such information could be help future research about the population’s sustainability from species hunted and also in awareness-raising actions to involve them in conservation of biodiversity.