Valores de uso y amenazas sobre los mamíferos medianos y grandes del Distrito de Cartagena de Indias, Colombia

Abstract

Medium and large mammals are among the groups of species most frequently used by local communities, and at the same time, they play a fundamental role in ecosystems. In the Caribbean region of Colombia, some efforts have been made to document these uses, but there are still important gaps in the information necessary for their conservation. In this study, we evaluated the uses and local perception of threats to medium and large mammals in the District of Cartagena de Indias. A total of 103 semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain information related to the different uses of these species in eight townships and three neighborhoods located on the periphery of the city’s urban area. Most of the interviewees (61 %) reported uses associated with consumption, 11 % for sale, and 5 % as pets. The two most consumed species were the rabbit (Sylvilagus sp., 55 %) and the Agouti (Cuniculus paca, 26 %); the orders most used as pets were Primates and Rodentia. Those interviewed identified hunting, road accidents, and habitat destruction as the mammal’s greatest threats.