The howler monkey that inhabits the forest and the mind of Itapuã residents - An analysis of environmental perception in the surroundings of the Itapuã State Park, Viamão, RS

Abstract

The study of environmental perception is fundamental to understand the relations between human populations and the environment, especially in the vicinity of protected areas, where we must seek for the development of values and attitudes compatible with the conservation of species from local residents. In this study we evaluated the environmental perception of people living in the county of Itapuã about the brown howler monkey (Alouatta guariba clamitans) and on the Itapuã State Park. To access the environmental perception, semi-structured interviews were carried out. All 52 interviewed residents affirmed they like howlers, and the most cited reasons were: ";howlers are part of nature";, ";howlers do not disturb"; and ";howlers are beautiful";. When asked about who must be responsible for conserving howlers, 51.9% answered ";everyone";. Forest conservation, planting fruit trees and educating people were the major actions mentioned to improve the life quality of howlers. The Itapuã State Park is recognized as important for howlers and for nature conservation. The community presented a very positive view about the howler monkeys, which must be a result from environmental education activities undertaken during the implementation process of the park. These results corroborate the role of the brown howler monkey as a flagship species for biodiversity conservation in this region.