Hunting at the Abun Regional Marine Protected Areas: a Link Between Wildmeat and Food Security

HAYATI Journal of Biosciences December 2014 Available online at: Vol. 21 No. 4, p 180-186 http://journal.ipb.ac.id/index.php/hayati EISSN: 2086-4094 DOI: 10.4308/hjb.21.4.180 Hunting at the Abun Regional Marine Protected Areas: A Link Between Wildmeat and Food Security FREDDY PATTISELANNO1‡*, MUHAMMAD IRFANSYAH LUBIS2 1Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science (TESS), James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia 2Centre for Environmental Research (PPLH), Bogor Agricultural University, Darmaga Campus, Bogor 16680, Indonesia Received June 3, 2014/Accepted November 17, 2014 Native Papuans are relied on hunting for subsistence purposes and significantly contributed to traditional cultures. However, in Papua information on hunting is limited and largely restricted to anthropological setting with most observations were done on the forest sites in lowland and highland landscapes. This study focuses on the contribution of hunting on food security along the coastal forests at the Bird’s Head Peninsula. Do people live near coastal sites mostly rely on marine resources as protein source? We gathered data on hunting by the majority of Karon ethnic group in the Abun district of Tambrauw Regency at the Bird’s Head Peninsula of Papua, Indonesia. We used information from in-depth interviews with hunters and households meal survey at four villages of Abun: Waibem, Wau, Warmandi and Saubeba. Reasons for hunting were varies among respondents but mostly conducted for trade. Six species of mammals and three birds were commonly hunted by using six different hunting techniques. Wild pig and rusa deer were the major targets in hunting to meet the demand of meat for both trading and household consumption. Meals containing wildmeat was the most consumed meal, greater than meals containing fish, animal products and vegetables, and noodles. Key words: hunting, coast landscape, Bird’s Head Peninsula of Papua, food security ___________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION cultural rites (Robinson & Bennett 2000). Some findings in the scientific literature argue that wildlife Historically, tropical-forest people have been hunting in tropical forests is mostly for the purpose hunting wildlife for food for at least between 40,000 of subsistence (Robinson & Bennett 2000; Milner- years and 10,000 years, and today many peoples Gulland et al. 2003; Fa & Brown 2009). Therefore, across the tropics continue the practice (Bennett many people who hunt wildlife in tropical forests rely 2002). The reason is because wildlife products are on the accessible and ready source of protein to feed valuable commodities, and wildmeat is considered their families. Fa and Yuste (2001) stated that wild as premium value, because it has a high value per animal meat was the staple diet of forest-dwelling unit weight compared with other forest products peoples in tropical areas during ancient times. The (Robinson & Bennett 2000). World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security The preferences for different wildlife species are as existing “when all people at all times have access usually influenced by economic activity, access to to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a domestic meat, ethnic origin, geographical isolation, healthy and active life” (http://who.int/trade/glossary/ local wildlife availability and the biological attributes story028/en/). Commonly, the concept of food of species that are hunted (Ling et al. 2002; Naranjo security is defined as including both physical and et al. 2004). In addition, other factors have influenced economic access to food that meets people’s dietary prey preference, such as the social, cultural and needs as well as their food preferences. political characteristics of the ethnic groups that hunt Limited or no access to alternative sources of (Fa et al. 2002). protein is one among several factors influencing Hunting in tropical forests is generally done wildlife hunting, and consequently in some cases to obtain food, generate income and to perform people still rely on wild meat and cannot readily _________________ make the switch to other sources (Bennett 2002). In ‡ Current address: Department of Animal Science, Universitas contrast, Bennett and Rao (2002) argued that people Negeri Papua (UNIPA), Manokwari 98314, Papua Barat, Indonesia who lived near coastal sites such as in Southeast ∗Corresponding author. Phone: +62-986-212156, Asia and West Africa were able to find available Fax: +62-986-211455, E-mail: [email protected]. alternative protein, and decreased their dependence au, [email protected] on wild meat. Copyright © 2014 Institut Pertanian Bogor. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Vol. 21, 2014 Hunting at the Abun Regional Marine Protected Areas �� 181 Our knowledge of hunting in Papua is, MATERIALS AND METHODS unfortunately, behind similar research in the Neotropics and Afrotropics, even our neighbouring Time and Place. Research was conducted between Papua New Guinea. In Papua, only few studies have June 2012 and December 2013 at Abun District which been conducted and most observations was carried include four villages: Subeba, Warmandi, Wau and out at the forest edge in lowland and highland Waibem, at the Bird’s Head Peninsula (BHP) (Figure landscape with its contribution to cultural and local 1). All villages can only be reached using boats, as livelihoods (Petocz 1994; Pattiselanno & Koibur there is no road connection between villages to the 2008; Pattiselanno & Arobaya 2013). nearest towns. Despite the fact that hunting contribute Description of the Study Site. Abun district has significantly to local livelihood, available alternative been declared as a Kawasan Konservasi Perairan protein such as livestock meat and fish might reduce Daerah–Regional Marine Protected Area under the reliance of household on wild meat (Brashares a Government Decree, SK Bupati Sorong No. et al. 2004). Bennett and Rao (2002) for example, 142/2005. It covers 862.43 km2, which located found that people who lived near coastal sites such at132°14”–132° 98” E and 0° 32”–0° 58” S as in Southeast Asia and West Africa were able to approximately 200 km north-east of Sorong. find available alternative protein, and decreased their The land area of Abun consists of the coastline dependence on wild meat. and adjacent rocky hill areas that give way to more Therefore, this study focuses on the hunting hilly areas and then mountainous parts. It is mostly practice along the coastal forests at the Bird’s Head covered by primary forest and secondary forest. Peninsula of Papua, in particular Kawasan Konservasi The coastal forest dominated by vegetation such Perairan Daerah (KKPD) – Abun Regional Marine as Ipomoea pescaprae and Scaevola serillae in the Protected Area (ARMPA) landscape. We documented seaward, and in the landward area by Barringtonia the importance of hunting and the practice of hunting asiatica, Terminalia catappa, and Pandanus. along the coast landscape with regards to wildmeat Methodology. Available administration data consumption. at the regency, district and village levels was Figure 1. Large dots show a relative location of the study site. 182 PATTISELANNO AND LUBIS HAYATI J Biosci collected to provide the baseline information about employment (6%). They also herd livestock such as the village situation. Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) chicken, goat and pig. and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) were also Hunting Practices and Aims. Half of the conducted to obtain economic background and an respondents (50%) committed hunting for trading overview of village condition (Chambers 1984; purpose. Tradeable meat (mostly venison and bacon) Chambers 1994). were sold fresh to the middlemen who regularly Collecting eggs and turtles hunting along the visited villages along the coastal with their boats. coast of BHP was not a part of this study. Thus, The local price per kilogram was Rp. 25,000 and this study only focused on the terrestrial wildlife 15,000 for vension and bacon, respectively, and the hunting. Information about hunting was gathered meat were sold to Sorong, Manokwari or Makasar. through interviews with 80 focal hunters using the Acquiring meat for personal consumption was Wildlife Conservation Society hunting questionnaire primarily done by 39% of respondents. Hunting for (Rao et al. 2005). In order to gain an overview on festive events performed by 9.74% respondents and hunting from people who were not actively hunting hunting to reduce crop damage and as a means of with different occupational background across the pest control was only done by 1.25% of respondents. whole community in the sampled villages, one Purpose of hunting between respondents within hundred questionnaires were distributed to random the sampled villages (Figure 2) was significantly respondents (excluding the 20 “focal respondents”) different (χ2 = 205.6, df= 3, P < 0.01). in each of the four villages. Two hundred and Nine species of animals were hunted within thirty-eight questionnaires were returned for further the sampled villages including six mammals and analysis. three birds. The most frequently hunted animals Household meal surveys were conducted to in the study site were wild pig (Sus scrofa; 34%) determine the level of consumption of wildmeat and and rusa deer (Cervus timorensis; 32%). Other other food items (e.g. fish, meats, eggs, canned meat

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