The use of birds as pets in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: The use of birds as pets has been a historical tradition in Mexico since prehispanic times. It has survived through bird traders, called pajareros, which is a local name given to the trade (derived from pájaro, the Spanish word for bird). However, the trade of birds has not been sufficiently described; therefore, the goal of this paper is to analyze the bird trade in Mexico using the components of an ethnoecology scheme known as kosmos-corpus-praxis complex. METHODS: Qualitative research techniques were used, including ethnographic immersion, participative research, and interviews of 79 pajareros in 22 localities in nine Mexican states. RESULTS: The activity of the pajareros occurs within their households, with each member having distinct roles. The roles involved in bird trading are capturing, acclimation, maintenance, and sale. Their assignment depends on gender, age, and residential location (rural or urban). Beyond their households, the pajareros are well organized in trade unions and are represented by a leader, who acts as an intermediate between them and the government officers who are involved in the authorization of federal permits. The pajareros use 96 species of birds, most of which are native to Mexico. Practicing the trade requires highly specific knowledge of the biology, ecology, habitat, nutrition, diseases, and behavior of the birds, as well as the abiotic components of their environment, such as climatology and geography. The cosmovision of pajarero households is embedded in their identity, making them proud of their trade. CONCLUSIONS: Our paper provides the first comprehensive description of the pajarero trade, showing evidence of local communitarian management in the places where the wild birds are captured.

Uso múltiple y biodiversidad entre los Mayas Yucatecos (México) / Multiple use and biodiversity within the Mayan communities of Yucatan Mexico

Con base en una detallada revisión de literatura se hace un recuentro del número de especies de la flora y fauna regionales utilizadas por los mayas yucateros actuales, mediante su estrategia de uso múltiple de los recursos. La revisión ofrece datos sobre la biodiversidad útil en la milpa y otras prácticas agrícolas, los huertos familiares, la apicultura y meliponicultura, la extracción y recolección de recursos forestales, la caza y la pesca. Se estima que una comunidad maya de la Península de Yucatán utiliza en un promedio entre 300 y 500 especies de animales y plantas. Con un estudio de caso en la comunidad de Punta Laguna en Yucatán, se ilustra la dinámica que sigue el conjunto de 13 actividades que forman la estrategia local del uso múltiple cuando se aplica un análisis de flujos monetarios. Se concluye que es esta estrategia múltiple la que explica el elevado número de especies utilizadas por familias y comunidades mayas, la que induce un cierto equilibrio espacial al mantener un patrón de paisajes en forma de mosaico, la que opera como un eficiente mecanismo ecológico y económico, y la que explica en parte la resiliencia del sistema naturaleza-cultura. Finalmente se llama la atención acerca de la importancia de reconocer la estrategia múltiple en la exploración del pasado de la cultura maya y en la discusión sobre su futuro.