Caracterização das capturas e apreensões de fauna realizadas pelo batalhão de polícia militar ambiental do estado do Amapá no ano de 2016

Abstract

Human use of wildlife dates back to prehistoric times, with Neanderthals hunting to obtain animal protein. Today, humans continue to exploit fauna across much of the Amazon, including captive breeding and domestication of wildlife species. This scenario is fundamental to decrease extinction risk of threatened wildlife species that are often encountered in the illegal bushmeat trade. In the State of Amapá the use of wildlife is ubiquitous, resulting largely from cultural habits, with wildlife exploited to diversify the acquisition of animal protein. The present study aimed to characterize the captures and seizures of wildlife by the Environmental Military Police (“Batalhão de Polícia Militar Ambiental” - BPMA) of the State of Amapá in the year 2016. For that, it was necessary to carry out a review of the data of catches and seizures of fauna carried out by the BPMA Of the State of Amapá in the year 2016. A total of 19 Acts of Environmental Infraction and 350 occurrences of captures of fauna were identified. The most frequent infractions were the transport of wild animals (32%), and illegal captive breeding (21%). Considering all infractions, birds were the most frequently recorded class, followed by mammals. As for the seizures, 30 specimens and more than 523 kg of bushmeat were recorded. In the captures, 350 individuals were registered, with the greatest number of occurrences recorded of Boa constrictor individuals. In the end, there is a lack of technical capacity in terms of data management and controls, much of the recorded information were inconsistent or not presented. These inconsistencies highlight an urgent need for investment in training and capacity building of the BPMA by the State. The use of wildlife in the State of Amapá is socially and economically significant, and efforts are required to reverse this scenario to avoid medium and long term losses of threatened wildlife species