Title
Population status and use of the lizard (Caiman yacare) in natural resource use areas of the Tacana community territory of origin (TCO), Iturralde province, La Paz, Bolivia.
Author(s)
Jehan Ninon Rios
Published
2006
Publisher
Revista Electrónica Manejo de Fauna Silvestre en Latinoamérica
Abstract
To determine the abundance and population structure of the lizard (C. yacare) in areas of natural resource use in the Tacana Community Territory of Origin (TCO), two zones of this territory were evaluated in 2000 and 2001 by means of nocturnal counts conducted during the dry season. In the "North" Zone, an abundance of 7.66 ind/km of shore and a population structure dominated by juvenile individuals was recorded, with a proportion of Class IV individuals of less than 15%. According to these results and in accordance with current Bolivian regulations, this population is not in a good state of conservation and therefore cannot be commercially harvested, so non-consumptive harvesting alternatives are recommended. The lizard population in the "South" Zone presented an abundance of 20.20 ind/km of shore and a population structure with a proportion of Class IV individuals higher than 15%; this population could support commercial harvesting with sustainable levels of extraction. Likewise, a relationship was found between the abundance and population structure of C. yacare and the characteristics of the aquatic habitats evaluated. In order to obtain information on some traditional use practices, semi-structured interviews were conducted with local hunters, highlighting a strong influence of the commercial factor on the use of this species in the region.
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PUB35786