Ataques de onças a humanos na Amazônia brasileira: uma análise na perspectiva de uso e ocupação do solo

Abstract

Attacks on humans by large mammals carnivorous are a phenomena reported in the scientific and popular literature. The list of carnivores known to attack humans included tigers (Panthera tigris), lions (Panthera leo), cougars (Puma concolor) and leopards (Panthera pardus). In contrast of the most of other large carnivores, jaguar (Panthera onca) attacks on humans are considered extremely rare, with a general view that jaguar attacks are almost non-existent. In Brazil there are few studies of these attacks. In this way, the objectives of this research were to investigate if in the Brazilian Amazonia attacks of jaguars occurred and to characterize them. And to analyze which factors of human and ecological risks influenced the attacks of jaguars and jaguars to humans. Information on the attacks was provided by the Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros (CENAP/ICMBio) and also were collected from newsreels where the sources and veracity were validated. This information is part of the OIAA Onça - Observatório de Imprensa, Avistamento e Ataques de Onças database. A descriptive analysis was performed to characterize the attacks. And a correlation test was done to compare the relationship between deforestation rates and jaguar’s attacks. In the Amazon, 77 cases of attacks were registered before 1950 (n=13) and between 1950 and 2018 (n=64). Amazonas was the state with the highest number of reported attacks (n=42). The main victims were adults, men, unaccompanied and who were hunting in rural areas during the day. Less than 4% of the attacks occurred with cougars. Twenty-nine cases were classified as provoked attacks, and 30 cases were classified as unprovoked. Annual were jaguar attacks were considered rare (0.94/year) when compared to leopard attacks (29.91/year), tiger (18.80/year) and lion (16.79/year). Attacks by jaguars occur in the Amazonia and are not as rare as previously believed. Measures can be taken to reduce the number of people injured. Getting better known about human behavior and jaguars, so that fewer human and jaguar deaths occur.