Indigenous lands are increasingly recognized for their critical role in biodiversity conservation. However, concerns persist about the sustainability of hunting practices within these territories. This study investigates the long-term impact of Indigenous hunting practices on wildlife populations in the Cofán territory of Zábalo, Ecuador. We employed line transect surveys to estimate wildlife densities over three periods (2001–2003, 2006–2009, and 2018), focusing on 16 species that are integral to local livelihoods and subject to community management. Our results indicate generally stable or increasing populations for most species, particularly in nonhunted areas, where spatial restrictions are enforced. The Cofán's ability to sustainably manage relations between humans and wildlife is largely attributable to their adaptive management system, which includes species-specific regulations and spatial zoning, and is realized through community decision-making, knowledge sharing, and an ethos of care. These findings demonstrate that Indigenous stewardship can effectively sustain biodiversity in complex biocultural systems. The study underscores the importance of integrating Indigenous knowledge with scientific approaches to achieve long-term conservation goals.

中文翻译：

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寻找可持续性：Zábalo 科凡地区的土著管理


土著土地因其在生物多样性保护中的关键作用而日益得到认可。然而，人们对这些地区狩猎做法的可持续性仍然存在担忧。本研究调查了土著狩猎行为对厄瓜多尔扎巴洛 Cofán 地区野生动物种群的长期影响。我们采用线样带调查来估计三个时期（2001-2003 年、2006-2009 年和 2018 年）的野生动物密度，重点关注 16 个物种，这些物种是当地生计不可或缺的一部分，并受到社区管理。我们的结果表明，大多数物种的种群数量总体上稳定或增加，尤其是在实施空间限制的非狩猎区域。Cofán 能够可持续地管理人类与野生动物之间的关系，这在很大程度上归功于他们的适应性管理系统，其中包括特定物种的法规和空间分区，并通过社区决策、知识共享和关怀精神来实现。这些发现表明，土著管理可以有效地维持复杂生物文化系统中的生物多样性。该研究强调了将土著知识与科学方法相结合以实现长期保护目标的重要性。