Hunting of medium mammals in coffee plantations in central Veracruz, Mexico

摘要

align="justify"> face="verdana" size="2">This study analyzes the hunting of medium mammals in coffee plantations in central Veracruz, México, focusing on two areas: Huatusco and Teocelo–Coatepec. The data were obtained through a guided interview, which was applied to active hunters in the study areas. The data collection was done during January to May 2006 as part of a larger project entitled BIOCAFE. We applied a total of 77 interviews that allowed us to know the mammals hunted, the methods used, how they used them, in addition to infer how many animals are extracted per year and the biomass that represented. The records showed that five species were mainly hunted in both areas: armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), opossum (Didelphis virginiana), rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus), raccoon (Procyon lotor) and gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). Of the 16 hunted species, the armadillo is the most common prey and the most used in both areas. The estimated extracted biomass per year was 194kg/hunter in the zone of Teocelo–Coatepec and 174 kg/hunter in the Huatusco zone. The most common hunting methods are: by fire arm (53%), followed by the use of dogs (41%) and last, the beat (33%). The hunting pressure was greater in coffee plantations in the zone of Teocelo–Coatepec for having a higher human population density. Hunting practiced in both areas is completely illegal, hence is necessary to apply actions to promote the management and conservation of species, together with community development in the study area.