Dreadful fun or environmental management? Agreements and disagreements around wild boar hunting in Uruguay

ABSTRACT

This work constitutes an approach to hunting management in Uruguay. We have focused on wild boar hunting, the most widespread form of recreational hunting in this country. We explored the connections and discrepancies between the different actors based on a qualitative study conducted with conservationists, animal rights groups, nature managers, and hunters. The informality of hunting and the lack of population studies on wildlife were the main concerns raised while hunting with dogs was the most controversial issue. These results allowed us to propose some potential management actions to improve hunting management: issuing a hunting license, regulating hunting with dogs, developing collaborative wildlife monitoring, promoting new technologies within the framework of ethical hunting, and developing a realistic and effective poaching control.

KEYWORDS:

• Sport hunting
• wild boar
• human-animal relations
• environmental management

Acknowledgement

Thanks to all the people interviewed and those with whom we share hunting trips, courses or other field activities. Special thanks to my field ”guides”: Pablo González, Federico Bentancurt, Facundo Rodríguez and Federico Cancela. Also to the experts from other fields who helped us with various topics: Gustavo Castro, Martin Altuna, Ana Laura Mello, Hugo Coitiño and Rita Rodríguez. In addition, to the rest of the colleagues of the research group with whom we had exchanges on these topics in the beginning of our existence: Lorena Rodríguez, Magdalena Chouhy, Leticia Poliak, José Sciandro, Lucía Bergós and Alexandra Cravino. Finally, I would like to thank the Universidad de la República (Comisión Sectorial de Investigación Científica and Departamento de Sistemas Agrarios y Paisajes Culturales) and the Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovación, Uruguay, for their financial support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. In Uruguay, the quantifications of recreational hunting are very imprecise. Uruguayan hunters, who hunt mainly free game species, for which no permits are required, such as wild boar, are not quantified.

2. See https://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/detenidos-caza-furtiva-pecaries.html

3. See https://www.presidencia.gub.uy/comunicacion/comunicacionnoticias/alejandro-nario-detencion-cazadores-armas-perros-heladeras-cazadores-pecaries

4. See https://www.montevideo.com.uy/Noticias/Detuvieron-a-los-cazadores-que-estaban-matando-a-los-pecaries-reintroducidos-en-el-pais-uc350622

5. See https://www.subrayado.com.uy/detienen-cazadores-matar-pecaries-reintroducidos-al-parque-mbopicua-n69318

6. In the original Spanish, this expression means that in order to identify him/herself, the person only puts his/her face, his/her “pretty face”

7. Although these groups morally oppose hunting, they have not said much regarding the welfare of the hunted animals (such as wild boar), focusing mainly on hunting dogs.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovación Universidad de la República Uruguay.