By
Cynthya |
Views: 2520 | November 12, 2014
“Matusha Aidha" the association of spectacled caiman managers of the Tacana indigenous land, with support from Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), has partnered with Gustu to incorporate in the menu of this renowned restaurant a dish whose main ingredient is spectacled caiman meat. This is the result of a long learning process and successful results in the sustainable management of spectacled caiman populations .
WCS supported the Tacana communities begin management activities of spectacled caiman in 2001 with studies on the distribution, abundance and population structure of the species. Based on this information, a management plan was developed and approved in 2007 by the General Directorate of Biodiversity and Protected Areas (DGBAP) and updated in 2011. To date there have been seven harvests (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014), guided by the annual harvest quota defined in the Bolivian legislation, and population assessments of the species in lakes, streams and sections of the Beni river. Harvest indicators (harvest sites, sex, average size, weight and effort invested) show that populations of spectacled caiman have been stable over the years and that harvest is sustainable. This harvest was presented as an alternative to ilegal hunting and as a strategy of control over the water bodies within the indigenous land.
A critical aspect in the management of spectacled caiman has been the creation of a productive association "Matusha Aidha", which has 23 members from the Tacana communities of Cachichira, San Antonio de Tequeje, Carmen del Emero, Tres Hermanos, Copacabana and Buena Vista, and that coordinate with the Tacana Indigenous Council through the Secretariat of Natural Resources. The Tacana multilayered organization system is one of the cornerstones of their territorial management and of spectacled caiman management.
The recently established partnership between the Matusha Aidha Association and GUSTU restaurant is an essential step to consolidate this tacana enterprise. As a first step, the association sold more than 70 kg of meat to GUSTU, at a price that recognizes the environmental and social commitment of the association. This experience is a synthesis of the organizational capacity of Matusha Aida, backed by CIPTA, with the financial support of the Association of Municipalities of Northern Tropical La Paz (Bolivia), the scientific contribution of WCS and the culinary creativity of the restaurant. It also proves that it is possible to establish business partnerships with social responsability to enhance sustainable livelihoods and promote conservation of wildlife.