A relação pessoa-animal em comunidades amazônicas a partir de processos educativos para a conservação do Gavião-Real (Harpia harpyja) e do Tracajá (Podocnemis unifilis)

Abstract

The conservation of biodiversity is inserted in the Anthropocene as a mitigating action to the process of defaunation. The approach given to flag species of local wildlife in danger of extinction appears as a strategy to subsidize conservation programs. In this sense, the objective of the study was to analyze the person-animal relations in Amazon communities participating in conservation programs of the harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) and tracajá (Podocnemis unifilis). The Case Study was adopted as a technical procedure in a multi-method approach, in which the analyzes guided the management, conservation, anthropology, environmental psychology and Human-Animal Studies. Residents of communities included in the Gavião-Real Conservation Program or in the Pé-de-Pincha Program participated in the study. The study demonstrated that the perceptions of the person-animal relationship are defined by the proximity between the two animal species and human, as well as the way of participating in conservation actions. The king hawk is related to myths and beliefs, the tracajá is considered an animal of daily life. In the conservation of the tracajá there was more direct participation. The conservation of the king hawk occurred indirectly. Thus, the constitution of conservation of species is related to the identification of functions and the need to conserve it. Needs fit individual actions, the functions denote values inherent in the sociocultural, ecossystemic and ethical context. In this way, the nutritional values overlap the others, because, ultimately, the objective is to obtain food. Therefore, knowing and shaping the behavior of a particular species of wildlife contributes to the coexistence with the same, so that the person-animal relationship unleashes mutual benefits.