Turvey, Samuel T;
Robinson, Orlando F;
Duncan, Clare;
Kennerley, Rosalind J;
Otuokon, Susan;
(2024)
Does endemic mammal conservation in Jamaica conflict with maintaining biocultural heritage?
Conservation Science and Practice
, 6
(12)
, Article e13245. 10.1111/csp2.13245.
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Abstract
Understanding human–wildlife interactions within biocultural systems is essential to support evidence-based conservation and Indigenous cultural integrity, and to identify inclusive “win-win” options for coexistence with threatened species. Jamaica's Blue and John Crow Mountains contain a population of the Endangered Jamaican hutia or coney (Geocapromys brownii), one of the last surviving Caribbean mammals, as well as Maroon communities that practice hunting as a traditional cultural activity. An interview survey was conducted in two Maroon communities within this conservation-priority landscape to understand local knowledge and attitudes toward coneys, and the cultural importance and dynamics of interactions with coneys. Experience of coney consumption is relatively widespread through small-scale local trade in hunted animals, but few respondents consider hunting to be of cultural or economic importance, very few people specifically hunt coneys, and most respondents support coney conservation. Conversely, crop damage caused by coneys is considered a substantial problem and is associated with decreased conservation support. Although we estimate that almost 530 coneys were killed during the previous year by our respondent sample, local perceptions suggest that hunting may not be having a negative impact on the coney population, and coney conservation can hopefully be integrated equitably with Maroon cultural values and needs.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Does endemic mammal conservation in Jamaica conflict with maintaining biocultural heritage? |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1111/csp2.13245 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.13245 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | © 2024 The Author(s). Conservation Science and Practice published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
| Keywords: | evidence-based conservation, Geocapromys, human–wildlife conflict, hutia, Indigenous knowledge, traditional hunting |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > Div of Biosciences |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10197793 |
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