Wild

6 pages, 552 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Comparison of Serum Testosterone Levels in Male Wild Boars and Domestic Pigs in Japan

by Hiromitsu Tanaka, Hiroshi Sato, Masashi Fukasawa, Yasuchika Yamaguchi, Keisuke Kakazu, Toshiaki Seto, Yuki Tanaka and Yuichiro Matsumoto

Wild 2024, 1(1), 57-62; https://doi.org/10.3390/wild1010005 - 29 Oct 2024

Abstract

(1) Background: The numbers of wild animals in Japan are increasing due to changes in the industrial structure and a decline in the population. Various extermination approaches have been used against animals that are classified as harmful, such as boars. Making effective use of exterminated wild animals will revitalize extermination activities by developing markets as the number of hunters declines. We measured serum testosterone levels to examine the potential value of male wild boars as a meat source and compared them with the testosterone levels in domestic male pigs. Testosterone has an analeptic effect even in small amounts. (2) Methods: Blood testosterone levels were measured by electrochemiluminescence in wild boars and domestic pigs, collected using box traps in Sasebo City. (3) Results: Almost no testosterone was detected in the sera of castrated domestic male pigs, and more testosterone was detected in wild male boars than in pigs. (4) Conclusions: The analysis demonstrated that male wild boars have unique nutritional value compared with domestic pigs. Full article

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18 pages, 3612 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Sociodemographic Profile on Interactions Between Human Populations and Fauna in the Semi-Arid Region of Northeast Brazil and Its Relationship with Conservation

by Jeferson de Menezes Souza, Josué Luiz da Silva Alves, Ana Carolina Matos Rodrigues, Ernani M. F. Lins Neto and Felipe Silva Ferreira

Wild 2024, 1(1), 39-56; https://doi.org/10.3390/wild1010004 - 24 Oct 2024

Abstract

Background: The relationship between human populations and wild animals dates back across centuries of interactions, enabling the construction of belief systems in communities. The socioecological perspective allows us to understand the interactions between the social and ecological dimensions of a population and nature. Methods: In this context, 133 residents of a rural community were interviewed to assess their knowledge and use of animals. We sought to evaluate the following: (i) animal species used by community residents, (ii) types of use and (iii) the effects of socioeconomic variables on different uses of vertebrate animal taxa. Results: The fauna cited were represented by 82 ethnospecies distributed in 48 families; it was not possible to identify nine ethnospecies and two were identified only at the genus level (Columbina sp. and Turdus sp.). Among the identified species, birds presented the greatest taxonomic richness (n = 34/41.0%), followed by mammals (n = 22/27.0%) and reptiles (n = 15/18.0%). Through generalized linear models, we identified which socioeconomic variables influenced the knowledge and use of wildlife resources. Furthermore, the influence of socioeconomic variables varied between taxa and use categories. Conclusions: The influence of socioeconomic variables may vary according to the taxonomic group, as well as the type of cultural domain, favoring the increase or decrease in the use of a resource. Full article

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9 pages, 230 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

An Editorial to Introduce the New Journal Wild: Issues, Approaches, Ideas and Proposals

by Kevin Cianfaglione

Wild 2024, 1(1), 30-38; https://doi.org/10.3390/wild1010003 - 23 Oct 2024

Abstract

Why have we established this journal, and how does it differ from other journals concerning the environment, land management, ecosystem restoration, biodiversity and ecological philosophy [...] Full article

13 pages, 7444 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Non-Conventional Food Plants (Plantas Alimentícias Não Convencionais (PANC)) of the Petrópolis–Teresópolis Crossing, Serra dos Órgãos National Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

by Thiago da Cruz Alves, Valdely Ferreira Kinupp, Bruno Araujo Furtado de Mendonça and Tiago Böer Breier

Wild 2024, 1(1), 17-29; https://doi.org/10.3390/wild1010002 - 28 Aug 2024

Abstract

We conducted a floristic survey of Non-Conventional Food Plants (Plantas Alimentícias Não Convencionais (PANC)) on the trail of Travessia Petrópolis–Teresópolis in Serra dos Órgãos National Park, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Wild food plants with food potential were collected along a sinuous transect of 27 km in length and 3 m in width. The collected material was identified in virtual herbariums by specialists, and later, a literature review on the food use of the identified plants was carried out. Thus, 90 food and potential food species were identified, belonging to 54 genera and distributed in 34 families present along the trail, including the Asteraceae (10), Begoniaceae (9), Passifloraceae (8), Piperaceae (7), and Cactaceae (6) families, which showed the greatest species richness. We conclude that the diversity of the PANC found in a protected area demonstrates enormous potential for future domestication to produce food from the native flora of Brazil. Another potential use is in educational activities and pedagogical tourism, highlighting the gastronomic dimension of plant diversity present in protected areas. Full article

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16 pages, 8990 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantifying the Potential of the Tropical Dry Region of the Gulf of Mexico to Provide Tree Species with Traditional Uses for Forest-Reliant Communities

by Natalia Mesa-Sierra, Patricia Moreno-Casasola and Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer

Wild 2024, 1(1), 1-16; https://doi.org/10.3390/wild1010001 - 22 Aug 2024

Abstract

The tropical dry regions in the Neotropics are under intense anthropogenic pressures, resulting in changes for local communities related with their life patterns, wellbeing, and their relationship with ecosystems. The region has a history of human occupation that has shaped the traditional use of resources. We evaluated the richness, redundancy, and divergence of traditional uses of tree species present in vegetation patches of the tropical dry region of the Gulf of Mexico using functional diversity indices. The most used species are Acacia cochliacantha, Cedrela odorata, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Gliricidia sepium, and Guazuma ulmifolia, and the uses with the broadest distributions across the region are firewood and pasture management, while reforestation is the least common use. While distance to the nearest patch of the closest human settlement is the most predictive variable associated with inhabitants’ different uses or recognitions of the value of different plant species, the most recognized and valued species are widely distributed in Mexico. Even when the forest cover is greatly reduced, the inhabitants recognize numerous uses that can be obtained from the vegetation patches. The approach used in this work provides important baseline information, as well as a methodology that facilitates the identification of priority areas for conservation. Full article

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