Amazon: Indigenous peoples catalog species to protect biodiversity
An initiative that combines ancestral indigenous knowledge with academic science is compiling an inventory of species found in the Panará indigenous territory in the Amazon. Nearly 15,000 specimens of regional flora and fauna have already been recorded across 500,000 hectares along the border between the states of Pará and Mato Grosso. The project is led by Conservation International (CI-Brazil)…
The Conservation International (CI-Brazil) initiative is collaborating with the Xingu+ Network, the Iakiô Indigenous Association, and various civil society organizations to create a comprehensive inventory of species within the Panará indigenous territory in the Amazon. This partnership aims to integrate indigenous knowledge with scientific methods to protect the region's biodiversity.
Over 15,000 specimens of plants and animals have been recorded across 500,000 hectares bordering Pará and Mato Grosso states. Led by local researchers and scholars, the project uses technology like GPS, species cataloging apps, and camera traps to document the flora and fauna. Notably, 27 of the 602 identified species are critically endangered.
The Panará people, particularly women, play a crucial role in the research, contributing unique insights into the forest that complement scientific tools. While some discoveries, like the "Já" tree, are yet to be confirmed by botanists, the initiative hopes to resume expeditions to complete the inventory.
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