Abstract:
Similar to other ecosystems around the world, the Amazon rainforest is threatened by a
wide variety of anthropogenic activities. The urgent need for conservation often requires
arduous, long, and expensive fieldwork. Primates are one of the species most affected by
human activities within tropical rainforests mainly due to habitat degradation and hunting
pressure. Indigenous people possess valuable knowledge obtained through
experience with the environment and passed down through generations, known as
traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). The aim of this study was to compare the TEK
of the community of Sucusari in the Peruvian Amazon to scientific primate census data,
ultimately determining if TEK can be used to help enhance or even replace high cost
conservation surveys of primates. Primate diversity, group size, and habitat use of all
primate species found during field surveys were compared with data obtained through 50
semi-structured interviews. Transects were performed on a parallel trail system (22 trails
that are approximately 4 km each) located within the Sucusari River basin. The results suggest that the reliability of TEK compared to scientific data improves with larger-sized
and culturally important primates. In conclusion, TEK is an important tool to enhance
high-cost and time-intensive scientific sampling methods, especially for large-bodied
primate populations and those significant to local cultural traditions. It should be used
cautiously and target local community experts.
