Hunting for Sustainability: Indigenous Stewardship in the Cofán Territory of Zábalo
ABSTRACT Indigenous lands are increasingly recognized for their critical role in biodiversity conservation. However, concerns persist about the sustainability of hunting practices within these territories. This study investigates the long‐term impact of Indigenous hunting practices on wildlife popul...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Conservation Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13065 |
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| author | Michael S. Esbach Carlos Urgilés‐Verdugo Wendy R. Townsend Carlos Yiyoguaje |
| author_facet | Michael S. Esbach Carlos Urgilés‐Verdugo Wendy R. Townsend Carlos Yiyoguaje |
| author_sort | Michael S. Esbach |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Indigenous lands are increasingly recognized for their critical role in biodiversity conservation. However, concerns persist about the sustainability of hunting practices within these territories. This study investigates the long‐term impact of Indigenous hunting practices on wildlife populations in the Cofán territory of Zábalo, Ecuador. We employed line transect surveys to estimate wildlife densities over three periods (2001–2003, 2006–2009, and 2018), focusing on 16 species that are integral to local livelihoods and subject to community management. Our results indicate generally stable or increasing populations for most species, particularly in nonhunted areas, where spatial restrictions are enforced. The Cofán's ability to sustainably manage relations between humans and wildlife is largely attributable to their adaptive management system, which includes species‐specific regulations and spatial zoning, and is realized through community decision‐making, knowledge sharing, and an ethos of care. These findings demonstrate that Indigenous stewardship can effectively sustain biodiversity in complex biocultural systems. The study underscores the importance of integrating Indigenous knowledge with scientific approaches to achieve long‐term conservation goals. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cc0f4566dea14b9780c9fee1efdf0a24 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1755-263X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Conservation Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-cc0f4566dea14b9780c9fee1efdf0a242024-12-16T09:26:57ZengWileyConservation Letters1755-263X2024-11-01176n/an/a10.1111/conl.13065Hunting for Sustainability: Indigenous Stewardship in the Cofán Territory of ZábaloMichael S. Esbach0Carlos Urgilés‐Verdugo1Wendy R. Townsend2Carlos Yiyoguaje3Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USAColegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales Universidad San Francisco de Quito Quito EcuadorMuseo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado Santa Cruz BoliviaCentro Cofán Zábalo Sucumbíos EcuadorABSTRACT Indigenous lands are increasingly recognized for their critical role in biodiversity conservation. However, concerns persist about the sustainability of hunting practices within these territories. This study investigates the long‐term impact of Indigenous hunting practices on wildlife populations in the Cofán territory of Zábalo, Ecuador. We employed line transect surveys to estimate wildlife densities over three periods (2001–2003, 2006–2009, and 2018), focusing on 16 species that are integral to local livelihoods and subject to community management. Our results indicate generally stable or increasing populations for most species, particularly in nonhunted areas, where spatial restrictions are enforced. The Cofán's ability to sustainably manage relations between humans and wildlife is largely attributable to their adaptive management system, which includes species‐specific regulations and spatial zoning, and is realized through community decision‐making, knowledge sharing, and an ethos of care. These findings demonstrate that Indigenous stewardship can effectively sustain biodiversity in complex biocultural systems. The study underscores the importance of integrating Indigenous knowledge with scientific approaches to achieve long‐term conservation goals.https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13065adaptive managementAmazonconservationhuntingIndigenous peoplessustainability |
| spellingShingle | Michael S. Esbach Carlos Urgilés‐Verdugo Wendy R. Townsend Carlos Yiyoguaje Hunting for Sustainability: Indigenous Stewardship in the Cofán Territory of Zábalo Conservation Letters adaptive management Amazon conservation hunting Indigenous peoples sustainability |
| title | Hunting for Sustainability: Indigenous Stewardship in the Cofán Territory of Zábalo |
| title_full | Hunting for Sustainability: Indigenous Stewardship in the Cofán Territory of Zábalo |
| title_fullStr | Hunting for Sustainability: Indigenous Stewardship in the Cofán Territory of Zábalo |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hunting for Sustainability: Indigenous Stewardship in the Cofán Territory of Zábalo |
| title_short | Hunting for Sustainability: Indigenous Stewardship in the Cofán Territory of Zábalo |
| title_sort | hunting for sustainability indigenous stewardship in the cofan territory of zabalo |
| topic | adaptive management Amazon conservation hunting Indigenous peoples sustainability |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13065 |
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