Redalyc.Wild Birds As Pets in Campina Grande, Paraíba State

Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências ISSN: 0001-3765 [email protected] Academia Brasileira de Ciências Brasil LICARIÃO, MORGANA R.; BEZERRA, DANDARA M.M.; ALVES, RÔMULO R.N. Wild birds as pets in Campina Grande, Paraíba State, Brazil: An Ethnozoological Approach Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, vol. 85, núm. 1, marzo, 2013, pp. 201-213 Academia Brasileira de Ciências Rio de Janeiro, Brasil Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=32725624015 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências (2013) 85(1): 201-213 (Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences) Printed version ISSN 0001-3765 / Online version ISSN 1678-2690 www.scielo.br/aabc Wild birds as pets in Campina Grande, Paraíba State, Brazil: An Ethnozoological Approach MORGANA R. LICARIÃO1, DANDARA M.M. BEZERRA2 and RÔMULO R.N. ALVES3 1Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia Ambiental, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Av. das Baraúnas, 351, Campus Universitário, Bodocongó, 58109-753 Campina Grande, PB, Brasil 2Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Campus 1, Cidade Universitária, 58059-900 João Pessoa, PB, Brasil 3Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Av. das Baraúnas, 351, Campus Universitário, Bodocongó, 58109-753 Campina Grande, PB, Brasil Manuscript received on January 31, 2011; accepted for October 24, 2011 ABSTRACT Birds are one of the animals most widely used by humans and are highly valued as pets. The present work reports the use of wild birds as pets in the city of Campina Grande, Paraíba State (PB), Brazil. The owners' choice and perceptions of the species ecology was assessed as well. The methodology employed included unstructured and semi-structured interviews, guided tours and direct observations. A total of 26 bird species distributed among ten families and four orders were identified. The most frequently encountered order was Passeriformes (76.9%), with a predominance of the family Emberizidae (34.6%). The specimens kept as pets were principally obtained in public markets or between the breeders themselves. The popularity of birds as pets, compounded by the inefficiency of official controls over the commerce of wild animals has stimulated the illegal capture and breeding of wild birds in Campina Grande. Key words: Avifauna, bird breeders, commerce in wild birds, conservation, ethnozoology, ethno-ornithology. INTRODUCTION b, 2009a, b, 2010a, b, c, 2011, 2012a, b, c, d, Alves Animals have been used by indigenous societies and Pereira-Filho 2007, Leo Neto et al. 2009, 2011, and by the descendents of the European colonists 2012, Confessor et al. 2009, Ferreira et al. 2009, in Brazil since the colonial period (Almeida 2005, Tôrres et al. 2009, Oliveira et al. 2010, Dias et al. Alves et al. 2007, Alves and Souto 2011). Wild 2011, Rosa et al. 2011, Alves 2012). animals have traditionally been used for a wide Bird-keeping activities are common throughout variety purposes, including as foods and in cultural Brazil in both rural and urban settings (Sick 1997, activities, and their body parts or sub-products Alves et al. in press), and these birds rarely come serve as adornments, tools, and for medicinal and from legalized breeders, however, they are mostly magic-religious purposes (Rocha et al. 2006, 2008, captured in the wild (Gama and Sassi 2008, Alves Trinca and Ferrari 2006, Alves et al. 2007, 2008a, et al. 2010a). Most bird species are traded for pets, although a few species are traded for food and Correspondence to: Rômulo Nobrega Alves E-mail: [email protected] (to a far lesser extent) medicinal and folk magic An Acad Bras Cienc (2013) 85 (1) 202 MORGANA R. LICARIÃO, DANDARA M.M. BEZERRA and RÔMULO R.N. ALVES purposes (Alves and Rosa 2007, 2010, Alves 2009, gies for the Caatinga biome without considering the Alves and Alves 2011, Souto et al. 2011, Alves et role of human populations and the impacts generated al. in press). Trafficking wild animals, especially by their use of regional natural resources. birds, is one of the most characteristic segments of In spite of the fact that the native fauna is illegal commerce Brazil. This type of trafficking widely used in northeastern Brazil, very few is undertaken principally to supply specimens for studies have been published on this theme (Alves collectors, zoos, scientists, and pet shops and public et al. 2009a, 2012a, Barbosa et al. 2011, Bezerra markets throughout the world (Alves et al. in press). et al. 2012). The widespread removal of animals Birds are one of the animal groups most widely from their natural habitats for commercial gain used by human populations. Many birds are kept or for amateur captive breeding creates enormous simply for their beauty, but many of them are valued challenges for the governmental agencies respon- for their singing and are kept as pets or sold. It is a very sible for wildlife protection (Vidolin et al. common practice to keep birds as pets (Rocha et al. 2004). As such, studies examining fauna use by 2006, Alves et al. 2009a, 2010a, 2012b, Fernandes- human populations are essential for developing Ferreira et al. 2012) and captive Passeriformes are environmental education programs and wildlife readily observed (or heard) in bars and restaurants, management plans (Alves et al. in press). stores, shoe repair shops and homes in the smallest The present work reports the use of wild birds towns and the largest cities in northeastern Brazil. as pets in the city of Campina Grande, Paraíba Rarely, however, these birds were acquired from State (PB), Brazil, and characterizes how these registered breeders (Gama and Sassi 2008). animals are acquired, the owners motives and An important step in guaranteeing the sustai- ecological perceptions. We describe here the basic nable use of the local/regional fauna is understanding relationships between humans and wild birds to the relationships that have been established between provide fundamental information for future actions human and the animals in question, including the directed towards the conservation and sustainable species most frequently taken and their different management of the ornitofauna of Paraíba State. uses. Ethnoscientific studies are fundamental to this process (Alves and Albuquerque 2012) and MATERIALS and METHODS ethno-ornithology is specifically directed towards DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA examining popular knowledge about birds (Sick 1997, Tidemann and Gosler 2010) and it is essential The municipality of Campina Grande is located to prepare conservation and management strategies in Paraíba State in northeastern Brazil (7°13'11'' as birds have very significant ecological, economic, S and 35°52'31'' W) (Rodrigues et al. 1996). The and cultural importance to human populations. municipality has a population of 371,060 (IBGE Alves et al. (2008b, 2010b) pointed out that the 2008) (Figure 1) and occupies an area of 621 km2 in ways in which natural resources are used by human the eastern sector of the Borborema Highlands (550 populations are extremely relevant to defining meters above sea level) (IBGE 2008). The region has conservation strategies. This will be particularly true an undulating topography and a semi-arid equatorial in the Caatinga (dryland) region of northeastern Brazil, climate with average temperatures between 22°C and as the people are greatly dependent on the direct use 25°C. The vegetation near Campina Grande includes of local natural resources for survival (Albuquerque et “agreste” (dry arboreal formations), “brejo” (high- al. 2012, Alves et al. 2012c). This social reality makes altitude humid forests), and “cariri” or “caatinga” it senseless to attempt to draw up conservation strate- (dryland) areas (Rocha et al. 2006). An Acad Bras Cienc (2013) 85 (1) WILD BIRDS AS PETS IN CAMPINA GRANDE, PARAÍBA 203 Figure 1 - Map of the study area; municipality of Campina Grande, Paraíba State, Brazil. METHODOLOGICAL PROCEDURES researchers and the interviewees, and consisted of unstructured and non-organized interviews Research was carried out between April and (Costa-Neto and Marques 2000). The unstructured November, 2008. Visits were made to the homes of interviews allowed us to develop the “snow-ball” 50 bird breeders in eight different neighborhoods technique (Bailey 1982), in which the interviewees (José Pinheiro, Monte Castelo, Belo Monte, Nova (in this case, experienced breeders) would indicate Brasília, Vila Cabral, Centro, Alto Branco and yet others, thus creating a sequence of indications Bodocongó) in the city of Campina Grande. The that allowed us to identify those people with the 50 breeders interviewed included 12 women and greatest experience in keeping birds. 38 men, with ages varying from 14 to 70 years. These unstructured interviews were followed The research project was approved by the Research by semi-structured interviews designed to obtain Ethics Committee of the Universidade Estadual da detailed information about the personal knowledge Paraíba (protocol number 0364.0.133.000-08). of each breeder: the names of the birds they kept, Initial contacts were designed to establish why they kept them, how they obtained the birds, a rapport of mutual confidence between the how they

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