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A review on human attitudes towards reptiles in Brazil

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Abstract

For many millennia humans and reptiles have interacted, but the attitude of humans towards these animals has depended on culture, environment, and personal experience. At least 719 reptile species are known to occur in Brazil and about 11% of this fauna has been exploited for many different purposes, including bushmeat, leather, ornamental and magic/religious uses, and as folk medicines. Brazil can therefore serve as an interesting case study for better understanding reptile use by human societies, and the present paper catalogues some of the reptile species being used in Brazil and discusses implications for their conservation. A literature review indicated that 81 reptile species are culturally important in this country, with 47 (58%) species having multiple uses, 54 being used for medicinal purposes, 38 as food, 28 for ornamental or decorative purposes, 20 used in magic/religious practices, 18 as pets, and 40 are commonly killed when they come into contact with humans. Regarding their conservation status, 30 (37.5%) are included on State's Red List, Brazilian Red List or the IUCN Red List. There are many forms of interaction between reptiles and humans in Brazil—although most of them are quite negative in terms of wildlife conservation—which reinforces the importance of understanding such uses and interactions in the context of protecting reptiles in Brazil. A better understanding of the cultural, social, and traditional roles of these reptiles is fundamental to establishing management plans for their sustainable use.

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Acknowledgments

To UEPB, UFPB, UFRN, UFPA, and URCA for all the support. The first author would like to acknowledge to CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico) for providing a research fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Av. das Baraúnas, 351/Campus Universitário Bodocongó, 58109-753, Campina Grande, PB, Brazil

    Rômulo Romeu Nóbrega Alves

  2. Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia da Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia), Laboratório de Ecofisiologia Animal, 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil

    Kleber Silva Vieira, Washington Luiz Silva Vieira & Wedson Medeiros Silva Souto

  3. Departamento de Botânica, Ecologia e Zoologia, Bolsista de Desenvolvimento Científico Regional (DCR/CNPq/FAPERN), Ecologia e Zoologia, Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade (LECOB), Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Lagoa Nova, 59072-970, Natal, RN, Brazil

    Gindomar Gomes Santana

  4. Departamento de Química Biológica Bolsista Produtividade da Fundação Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico—FUNCAP, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Rua Cel. Antônio Luiz 1161, CEP, 63100-000, Crato, CE, Brazil

    Waltécio Oliveira Almeida

  5. Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia da Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Laboratório de Ecofisiologia Animal, 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil

    Paulo Fernando Guedes Pereira Montenegro

  6. Núcleo de Altos Estudos Amazônicos—NAEA, Universidade Federal do Pará—UFPA, Belem, Brazil

    Juarez Carlos Brito Pezzuti

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  1. Rômulo Romeu Nóbrega Alves
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  2. Kleber Silva Vieira
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Correspondence to Rômulo Romeu Nóbrega Alves.

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Alves, R.R.N., Vieira, K.S., Santana, G.G. et al. A review on human attitudes towards reptiles in Brazil. Environ Monit Assess 184, 6877–6901 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2465-0

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