HUNTING

Animals are widely hunted in the Amazon. Some, such as peccaries and tapir, are hunted for food. On this small scale, hunting has no long-term effect. Other animals, notably caimans, wild cats and large snakes are killed for skins. There are few laws against hunting, and these tend to be poorly enforced. However, local people see the forest as a source of income, so ultimately, it is the buyers of wild animal products who must be deterred. Excessive hunting can disrupt the ecological balance, especially when top predators are removed—the prey species can multiply uncontrollably. In some cases, hunting can push a species toward extinction. Sometimes the animal is hunted for sale as a pet or for research, and on a large scale this can be as devastating as animals hunted for skins.