Knowledge and beliefs of artisanal fishermen regarding the river dolphins from Middle Tapajós River, Pará state, northern Brazil)

Abstract

Research on the knowledge of artisanal fishermen regarding Amazonian dolphins is scarce, although they are an important source of information for species conservation. We present here the ethnoknowledge of fishermen from the Middle Tapajós River on the biology of the tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis) and the Amazon River dolphin (Inia geoffrensis), as well as their beliefs related to both species. Using semi-structured interviews and participant observation, our results show that fishermen have substantial knowledge on the species, having described in detail aspects related to habitat use and group sizes; however, they also have uncertainties about the number and birth period of dolphin species. While local myths and superstitions about the Amazon River dolphin are present in the region, the interviewees do not consider them to be true. We suggest that educational, sensitizing and income-generating activities through dolphin-watching tourism be worked on with fishermen in order to fill knowledge gaps, promote awareness of the ecological importance of species and maintain artisanal fishing in the region.