Effect of the landscape on hunting in a conservation area in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Hunting provides important resources and incomes for millions of people, especially in biodiversity-rich developing countries. Several factors, including the ecology of the target species, personal preferences, food taboos of populations, and landscape features, influence hunting. This study aimed to define the poaching strategies and landscape effects on poaching in the Sete Cidades National Park (PARNA), a conservation unit in the Brazilian Cerrado. Data collected from official reports showed that infractions against wildlife represented the third-largest category of notices, but only two were related to hunting activity. Mapping traces of illegal hunting on the PARNA identified 21 hunting traces under five categories, including the tocaia and ceva (hunting strategies used in the study region), suggesting a relationship between hunting and the percentage and density of shrub formations. No correlation was found between the landscape diversity and hunting intensity. However, a possible association was found between mapped poaching traces, roads, and old poaching routes. A disparity was observed between the number of hunting traces mapped and the number of PARNA infraction notices, demonstrating the need to increase inspections, especially in the southern part.