Welcome back!
In last week’s post we looked at Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and food security. This week let us explore more about TEK and wildlife conservation.
TEK is a product of the numerous years of interaction indigenous people have had with the natural environment. [1]
Due to their direct reliance on their local environment, certain communities have knowledge on changes to species numbers and also on habitats, diet and mating characteristics of local species. Some of these information may be of new knowledge to scientists. [1]
Marine conservation
For example, Bonefish are a vital part of the diet of The I-Kiribati (indigenous people of Kiribati). When Bonefish numbers dwindled due to development projects such as the installation of a causeway across spawning runs of the Bonefish, and researches visited Kiribati to help, traditional knowledge played an important role in the government conservation plan that was to follow. Older members imparted valuable knowledge on fertile regions of the lagoon, mating behavior of the Bonefish and information about how some habitats may be vulnerable to various fishing methods. [1]
Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
TEK has played a role in the establishments of protected areas as well. There are quite a few examples whereby spawning sites receive “protected” statuses due to the collaboration between scientists and traditional fishers. Examples of these sites include the Gladden Spit in the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef and areas in the Solomon Islands. [1]
Migratory birds
TEK has also played a role in identifying significant population decline of certain species, when western science had yet to detect it. Examples include the falling numbers of the Common Eider Duck that Inuit from the community of Sanikiluaq had reported and of the Ivory Gulls that the Inuit from three Arctic communities had informed the Canadian Wildlife Service about. [2]
Image by Per-Arne Larsen from Pixabay
The Inuits’ knew that the foraging hours of Eider ducks which occupy polynyas are limited due to powerful tidal currents that hampers them from getting to their food source (mussels). It was the Inuits’ input that had prompted scientists to find out about the specific velocity of the current that limited the ducks’ feeding time. This information was then used in conservation plans for Eiders. [2]
TEK can be useful in our efforts to mitigate the impacts of the environmental crisis, especially when it is used in collaboration with scientific methods. Centuries of invaluable knowledge of local ecosystems should be preserved and tapped on with respect to adapting to the drastically changing climate and formulating new conservation tactics. However, it is crucial that we practice sensitivity and respect when it comes to the intellectual property of indigenous people and ensure that we strictly adhere to any guidelines set by the communities, when partnering with them. [3]
In my next post, I will be writing about how Indigenous people are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis. Stay tuned!
Cheers,
Divina
- Drew, J.A., Use of traditional ecological knowledge in marine conservation. Conservation Biology, 2005. 19(4): p. 1286-1293. https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2005.00158.x
- Gilchrist, G., M. Mallory, and F. Merkel, Can Local Ecological Knowledge Contribute to Wildlife Management? Case Studies of Migratory Birds. Ecology and Society, 2005. 10(1). https://www.jstor.org/stable/26267752?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
- SAMANTHA CHISHOLM HATFIELD, P., UCS SCIENCE NETWORK, UCS The Importance of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) When Examining Climate Change. 2017. https://blog.ucsusa.org/science-blogger/the-importance-of-traditional-ecological-knowledge-tek-when-examining-climate-change
Hi Divina, it was a joy reading your blog post! I am truly fascinated by your examples of application of TEK in conservation and I agree that the world has so much to learn from the deep knowledge that some indigenous communities have gained from their intimate relationship with nature. However, some tribal communities are also known to practice ecologically harmful behaviours, such as the use of fish stupefying plants in rivers to stun fish for ease of collection. In such cases, how do you think scientists should approach these people for their TEK, yet at the same time convince them to correct these undesirable behaviours?
On a side note, I think it would be really cool if you could also explore some of the unique and awesome relationships that indigenous people have with their environment. One example that comes to mind is the mutually beneficial relationship between dolphins and fishermen in Laguna, Brazil, as explained in the following article: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/04/dolphins-fishermen-brazil-culture/.
Hey Marcus! Thank you for stopping by!
Yes, it is true that some indigenous communities engage in not so sustainable activities and I will be exploring this in one of my upcoming posts, so do stay tuned!
I went to look up about the use of stupefying plants as a fishing technique and learned that it is being widely used by indigenous people around the world. And yes, I do agree with you that these techniques could disturb the ecosystem by affecting other animals such as cattle that rely of the water source in which these ichthyotoxic plants are deployed. I also read that some indigenous groups such as the Guyanese Amerindians use these plants for other purposes; such as for medicinal and spiritual uses. So, it would not be a good idea to ban the growing of such plants and perhaps stricter enforcement on the fishing technique itself, together with education(especially with regards to how the use of such plants for fishing might eventually affect their own community) could be possible solutions. I thought it was interesting that the Car Nicobari people who use the seeds of a Barringtonia asiatica (also known as poison fish tree) for poisoning fish, also have their very own village committee that regulates(the ban could be even for a year and those who do not obey the law will be punished) the use of the seeds so as to ensure sustainable fishing. Perhaps it would be much more difficult to work with other communities which do not already have such management in place and thus we should always approach the situation with a deep sense of cultural sensitivity to avoid possible conflict! We should also keep in mind that such techniques might be the fastest and most efficient way to gather food in situations of emergency and that some communities might be unable to pay for nets and other fishing equipment. This together with the fact the installation of hydraulic pumps and mining activities have caused fish populations to dwindle and have made it necessary for some indigenous communities to engage in such unsustainable fishing practices, makes it even more important that we consider the livelihood of these communities. Thus, on top of having stricter regulations and education, we could possibly look into providing them with necessary equipment that would enable them to move away from such harmful practices whilst also being able to feed their families.
Also, thank you so much for the really interesting read, Marcus. I was so amazed by the extremely cool dynamics between the fishermen and the dolphins! Once again, thank you for stopping by. I learned a lot from your comment!
References:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284797089_Traditional_usages_of_ichthyotoxic_plant_Barringtonia_asiatica_L_Kurz_by_the_Nicobari_tribes
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257221266_The_diverse_uses_of_fish-poison_plants_in_Northwest_Guyana
Hi Marcus & Divina,
Thank you for the comment & reply – I’d never heard of this – good to learn something new and interesting.
I would also like to comment that this part of Marcus’ comment…
“convince them to correct these undesirable behaviours”
is deeply problematic. Not because he’s saying something wrong. But the massive challenge we’re faced with is how to change human behaviours, and that includes having the humility to accept that what I view as an undesirable behaviour isn’t necessarily what you view as undesirable. You can apply this to indigenous peoples, corporations or whatever entity.
And I struggle with this constantly. I feel like, as a conservation biologist and environmental-studies academic, I KNOW what we need to do, and I so badly want everyone around the world to realise the precariousness of our situation. I find it hard to keep my mouth shut (and sometimes I fail) but I have to remind myself how unethical it may be for me to tell someone else how to live. After all, I’m no angel.
jc