Ethnoecology, Resource Use, Conservation And Development In A ...

individual resident in Aishalton became locally renowned under the name of 'Guyana
Stores', due to the extensive wardrobe that was reportedly retrieved from its
alimentary canal following its slaughter.
Animal husbandry has both direct and indirect effects on human ecology. Animals
broaden the use of the resource base via their consumption of grasses and other
savannah plants - cows, for instance, consume many species of wild fruits, and pigs
forage extensively in swamps, and are particularly fond of etai fruits. A few people
have experimented with the planting of more palatable grasses such as barama grass
imported from Brazil, but such activities appear not to be extensive, perhaps because
there is no guarantee to the planter that their own animals will get the benefits.
Some of those with fairly sizeable herds of cattle are able to engage in corral
agriculture, although not all choose to do so. Manure is sometimes collected to
fertilise house gardens and to enrich the soil in which trees are planted, although
overall this resource is much underused.
The availability of domestic meat directly affects hunting levels by providing an
alternative source of protein (cf. Jorgensen 2000: 262). Some men have effectively
abandoned hunting, and regard themselves as specialist vaqueiros, although all retain
possession of weapons and take advantage of hunting opportunities that come their
way, for example in village-wide peccary hunts (see chapter 8.1.1) and chance
sightings of animals. The option of a lifestyle centred more around the village is one
that is taken up by a significant number of people, and many such as shopkeepers,
teachers and perennial members of the village council, also rely on livestock for a high
proportion of their protein intake.
Another effect of the presence of livestock is a changing of the human
relationship with those carnivores prone to prey on domestic animals. Jaguars and
pumas killing cows or pigs are generally hunted down and attempts made to kill them.
Some people also attempt to kill large felids encountered on their hunting lines,
believing them to be competitors for game animals and to pose a danger to both
people and hunting dogs. This type of behaviour could date back to before the
introduction of domestic livestock, but is more casual and opportunistic than is the
case with livestock predators, the stalking and killing of which is carried out
methodically and purposefully. Smaller predators such as foxes, opossums and raptors
are more commonly found to prey on chickens, and considered pests; the former two
are generally killed when found near human habitations.