In this Spanish language article, Mongabay Latam highlights three examples in which sustainable use of natural resources has supported the economy of communities and helped protect the biodiversity of protected areas. Unfortunately, these community conservation strategies, have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis, which could have an adverse impact on conservation of biodiversity.
In Bolivia, Tacana communities that live in the Madidi National Park area commercialize, through a management program, caiman meat and leather.
“The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has put the normal development of these activities at risk. "If these types of alternatives are reduced, the vulnerability to wildlife trafficking may increase," says Guido Miranda, WCS Bolivia wildlife management coordinator.”
“Madidi National Park, in the Bolivian Amazon, is the most biodiverse natural area in the world. In their area of influence or buffer, that is, the land belt that surrounds the park, the indigenous Tacanas communities commercialize the meat and leather of the lizard ( Caiman yacare ) at the same time that they protect the species. Before starting the project for the sustainable use of the lizard, it was hunted illegally. Currently, management regulations allow strict control of the commercialization of this reptile. The lizard population that can be exploited is estimated at 3,884 individuals. The allowed extraction quota is 630 individuals per year and they can only be males to ensure the protection of females and reproduction. The meat of these animals is commercialized by the Tacana through alliances that they have established with supermarkets and restaurants and, although it is not known exactly what percentage of the communities' economy represents this activity, it is known that together with fishing, the hunting and logging is one of their main livelihoods. The hunting season is during the month of October, at the end of the dry season, so as not to interfere with the reproduction period of the species. This is how normally at this time the Tacana "are beginning to organize to make use of it," says Guido Miranda from WCS. However, the pandemic has changed plans.”
“Although Miranda points out that there are currently no COVID-19 infections in the Tacana communities, developing marketing activities can be very risky. According to the expert, in Rurrenabaque - a city that the Tacana use as a point of operations for the commercialization of lizard meat and which is at the entrance of Madidi - cases of COVID-19 have begun to appear. In addition, the Tacana communities "are very small towns and if there is an outbreak it can be devastating," says Miranda. For the expert, the situation is worrying, since "if people do not have access to this type of sustainable management initiatives, this can have repercussions on the unsustainable use of other resources that can be obtained in the area, such as wood." Likewise, "the vulnerability to wildlife trafficking - including animals that are in danger of extinction - may increase," adds Miranda. That is why the communities are evaluating together with the authorities the possibility of rescheduling the hunting season for when the risk of contagion by COVID-19 has decreased. According to Miranda, the possibilities would be between the months of November, December and January.”