. But most remarkable of all is the animal's reproductive system. Edited by: Costa-Neto EM, Santos Fita D, Clavijo MV. In the city they will eat roadkill and garbage. In Advances in the study of mammalian behavior, Amer Soc Mammalogists Spec Publ. That you were at the wheel of a car at that precise instant also is a distinct possibility. CAS Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso. 2010, 6: 31-10.1186/1746-4269-6-31. Males have forked penises. An important aspect to be mentioned with regard to the consumption of D. marsupialis is related to the fact that this wild mammal is reservoir for Tripanosoma cruzi Chagas 1909, the parasite causing Chagas disease [31, 59–61], which triggers heart failure and digestive problems and it can lead to death, if not treated. 2009, EDUFPA: Belém. . Rist S, Dahdouh-Guebas F: Ethnosciences: A step towards the integration of scientific and indigenous forms of knowledge in the management of natural resources for the future. The characteristic odor, known as “catinga” [nauseating odor], is frequently reported during “vagrancy-vadiação”, because females fight with other females when seeking for males to mate. Average temperature in the region is around 25°C. The main productive and economic activities for this population are: hunting animals, such as anteaters, agouti, opossum, racoon; fishing for several fish and shrimp species; and vegetal extraction, mainly from açaí palm (Euterpe oleraceae Mart.) 2013, 2 (2): 1-43. Huntington HP: Using traditional ecological knowledge in science: methods and applications. Learn about opossum facts, behavior and habitat and the interesting lives they lead. odoriferous glands are located in the perianal region instead of the underarms [21, 31]. © [31], who indicate that these glands are located in the animal’s perianal region. Respondent reports illustrate the importance of hunting for the local gastronomy: This meat is tenderer than beef. 2011, 7: 9-10.1186/1746-4269-7-9. Opossums are nocturnal, which means they are awake at night and sleep during the day. (Antonio Dias, interviewed on 10 Dec. 2012). Edited by: Alves AGC, Souto FB, Peroni N. 2010, Recife: NUPEEA, Viveiros de Castros E: Araweté: o povo do Ipixuna. Our interest in conducting studies on this species is mainly due to the fact that, in other Brazilian regions, including the Amazon rainforest, this animal is treated with hostility by people, often being killed. Estudos & Avanços. After this, a scent freshener is added to oil, to attenuate the strong smell, such as camphor, a substance extracted from the camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora L.), a species from the Lauraceae family. Maués RH: Catolicismo e xamanismo: reflexões sobre pajelança amazônica, renovação carismática e outros movimentos eclesiais. After a gestation of just 12 to 13 days, female opossums, called jills, give birth to up to 20 live young at a time. Ramos-Elorduy J: La antropoentomofagia y las culturas. (accessed in 13/05/2014). Waste-eating is a habit also documented in this species [21]. Alves RRN, Rosa IL: Zootherapeutic practices among fishing communities in North and Northeast Brazil: A comparison. Every now and then, an opossum will get into a house through a pet door. 10.1016/j.jep.2006.10.033. Joeys become sexually mature at six to eight months and live for one to two years. Its fat is used as a traditional medicine and it is indicated for many types of diseases. Google Scholar. Brasil Bol Mus P Emílio Goeldi. According to reports by riverine people, the best times to hunt a common opossum are by the morning, when they are resting in burrows and there is better light; or at night, when individuals are in “vagrancy” or “mariscando” [pecking the ground]. A key feature perceived by those who have a closer contact with common opossum is the fact that this species has a defense mechanism characterized by the production of a fluid with a strong odor, which is expelled against its predators. The Amazon rainforest, which is among the largest biodiversity reserves in the world, plays an important role in the life of traditional communities, providing food, housing, transportation, household items, furniture, income, remedies, as well as other environmental services. 2008, 4: 6-10.1186/1746-4269-4-6. Travi BL, Jaramillo C, Montoya J, Segura I, Zea A, Gonçalves A, Velez ID: Didelphis marsupialis, an important reservoir of Trypanosoma (Schizotrypanum) cruzi and Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi in Colombia. https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-4269-10-65, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-4269-10-65. International Union for Conservation of Nature, Trump lifts protections for Tongass National Forest, allowing logging, road development, Monster bird fossils unearthed in Antarctica. In the Amazon rainforest, biodiversity is a significant resource for traditional communities, as it can be used as a relevant source of protein and it has a promising zootherapeutic potential. Another account was very important for understanding the relationship between human beings and nature in the community under study. In fact, the stress of the chase was reported as a factor that influences on meat flavor, i.e. They also reported that the hunter faces difficulties during full moon days, as he can be easily noticed by the animal, thus facilitating its escape. Studies on Ethnobiology and Ethnoecology are of great relevance because they register knowledge of local peoples on environment and natural resources. The relative ease of access to modern medicine and the better income enabled by policies adopted by the Brazilian government may explain the decrease in its use. These supernatural beings are called “Curupira” (see figure in the cover) or they are generally named “Mãe-da-Mata” [Mother of the Woods].Regarding the best time to hunt, respondents answered that it depends on the season, taking into account the time of fruits and weather. Contributions to the HSUS are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. 1997, 32: 7-11. They are omnivores, which means they eat both vegetation and meat, and they aren't picky. Fat is used to produce medicinal oil, something which is discussed below. And while the spread of the human species has been the downfall of too many animals, somehow D. virginiana has learned to thrive in our midst. Even as the joeys grow older, the mother will still carry them on her back wherever she goes. Accordingly, the hunted fauna is crucial both as a protein and remedy source. 10.1016/j.jep.2007.07.015. This tradition, even being practiced to a lesser extent today, is widespread among residents, and we realized that older individuals intend to keep using it, conveying knowledge to younger people, also when modern medicine is present. Pinto AAC, Maduro CB: Produtos e subprodutos da medicina popular comercializados na cidade de Boa Vista. Mahawar MM, Jaroli DP: Traditional zootherapeutic studies in India: a review. New York, The meat of this species is highly prized by residents, something which shows that hunting resources play an important role as a source of animal protein for traditional Amazon populations. They are about 2.5 feet (76 centimeters), nose to tail, and weigh 8.8 to 13.2 lbs. Our scientific knowledge of the Virginia opossum has come a long way in 500-plus years. Then, loosely close the opening with netting, straw or other fibrous material. Another important element of this species is that it is a reservoir for various parasites, which can cause health problems for human beings [31, 32]. International Subscribers - Click Here The influence of modern medicine on health problems faced by residents has made the practice of traditional medicine to become less frequent in the region.
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