The trade in medicinal animals in northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Over the centuries, a significant part of the Brazilian fauna is widely sold, more specifically in retail stores or street markets. The objective was to characterize the sale of medicinal animals in five large northeast cities. Information about the sale of zootherapeutic items was obtained in the cities of Aracaju-SE, Fortaleza-CE, Maceio-AL, Recife-PE, and Salvador-BA. A total of 68 animal species were sold for medicinal purposes in the cities studied; these are the first results on the use and sale of zootherapeutics in the markets of Aracaju, Fortaleza, and Salvador and first recorded on the medicinal use of the Achatina fulica, Trachycardium muricatum, Philodryas olfersii, Desmodus rotundus, and Leptodactylus vastus. Knowledge of the fauna utilized popular medicine is indispensable for conservation, demonstrating that research on this subject is necessary to determine appropriate practices for the management of the fauna.

Figure 1

Map locating the cities studied in Northeastern Brazil.

Figure 2

Number of animal species used as remedies per taxonomic category in Northeastern Brazil.

Figure 3

New records of species used in traditional medicine. (a) Trachycardium muricatum, (b) Achatina fulica, (c) Leptodactylus vastus, (d) Desmodus rotundus, (e) Philodryas olfersii (Photos: (a), (b) Joafrâncio P. Araújo; (c) Hugo Fernandes-Ferreira; (d) Patrício A. da Rocha; (e) Samuel C. Ribeiro).

Figure 4

Examples of animal products used as remedies sold in Aracaju-SE, Fortaleza-CE, Maceió-AL, Recife-PE, and Salvador-BA public markets. (a) Body fat; (b) metabolism secretion such as blood, feces, and urine; (c) honey of Nasutitermes corniger; (d) horn of Mazama gouazoubira; (e) skin of Tupinambis merianae; (f) spine of Coendou prehensilis; (g) dried Seahorses (Hippocampus reidi); (h) dried starfish (Oreaster reticulatus). (Photos: Hugo Fernandes-Ferreira).

Figure 5

Distribution of the number of species cited per utilitarian redundancy category according to informants of the Aracaju-SE, Fortaleza-CE, Maceió-AL, Recife-PE, and Salvador-BA.

Figure 6

Cluster analysis of the species cited in the surveyed cities. (Correlation coefficient: R = 0.93).

Figure 7

Graphs showing the values obtained with the richness estimators species assessed for each market. (a) Aracaju; (b) Fortaleza; (c) Maceió; (d) Recife; (e) Salvador.