The red-bellied squirrel in Argentina and the management of introduced species as a biological and social problem
The study and management of exotic invasive species has been mainly focused on understanding the invasion process and designing adequate management techniques; however, in recent years several studies have shown the importance of involving social groups of the local community in the implementation of management plans. In this study we describe opinions and attitudes of six social groups (producers and service providers, environmentalists, neighbours, personnel of protected areas, civil servants, and teachers) regarding the presence of the red-bellied squirrels introduced in Argentina. The occurrence of various invasion foci of squirrels in three Argentinian provinces results from intentional releases of individuals, sometimes obtained by illegal trade. Opinion towards the presence of squirrels ranged from a negative perception of the squirrels viewed as a problem species that needs to be controlled to a positive perception of the squirrels viewed as an attractive species. Some groups showed a predominant opinion while others reflected the whole range of responses. Personal experience with the species, its attributes and the time since its introduction, the area of residency, and the knowledge of the problems posed by this species affect the opinion and attitudes towards the presence of red-bellied squirrels. Management plans must be designed for each invasion focus not only considering biological and economic issues, but also social and political ones. At the same time, a national strategy of prevention to stop the creation of new invasion foci is urgently needed. We therefore need strategies to reorient the relationship between people and environmental resources and to promote appreciation of local ecosystems and native species as much as co-responsibility and citizen participation in the problems posed by biological invasions, and the illegal trade of wild fauna and pets.
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | spa |
| Published: |
Asociación Argentina de Ecología
2013
|
| Online Access: | https://ojs.ecologiaaustral.com.ar/index.php/Ecologia_Austral/article/view/1169 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| id |
rev-ecoaus-article-1169 |
|---|---|
| record_format |
ojs |
| institution |
AUSTRAL |
| collection |
OJS |
| country |
Argentina |
| countrycode |
AR |
| component |
Revista |
| access |
En linea |
| databasecode |
rev-ecoaus |
| tag |
revista |
| region |
America del Sur |
| libraryname |
Asociación Argentina de Ecología |
| language |
spa |
| format |
Digital |
| author |
Borgnia, Mariela Benitez, Verónica Gozzi, Cecilia Guichón, M. Laura |
| spellingShingle |
Borgnia, Mariela Benitez, Verónica Gozzi, Cecilia Guichón, M. Laura The red-bellied squirrel in Argentina and the management of introduced species as a biological and social problem |
| author_facet |
Borgnia, Mariela Benitez, Verónica Gozzi, Cecilia Guichón, M. Laura |
| author_sort |
Borgnia, Mariela |
| title |
The red-bellied squirrel in Argentina and the management of introduced species as a biological and social problem |
| title_short |
The red-bellied squirrel in Argentina and the management of introduced species as a biological and social problem |
| title_full |
The red-bellied squirrel in Argentina and the management of introduced species as a biological and social problem |
| title_fullStr |
The red-bellied squirrel in Argentina and the management of introduced species as a biological and social problem |
| title_full_unstemmed |
The red-bellied squirrel in Argentina and the management of introduced species as a biological and social problem |
| title_sort |
red-bellied squirrel in argentina and the management of introduced species as a biological and social problem |
| description |
The study and management of exotic invasive species has been mainly focused on understanding the invasion process and designing adequate management techniques; however, in recent years several studies have shown the importance of involving social groups of the local community in the implementation of management plans. In this study we describe opinions and attitudes of six social groups (producers and service providers, environmentalists, neighbours, personnel of protected areas, civil servants, and teachers) regarding the presence of the red-bellied squirrels introduced in Argentina. The occurrence of various invasion foci of squirrels in three Argentinian provinces results from intentional releases of individuals, sometimes obtained by illegal trade. Opinion towards the presence of squirrels ranged from a negative perception of the squirrels viewed as a problem species that needs to be controlled to a positive perception of the squirrels viewed as an attractive species. Some groups showed a predominant opinion while others reflected the whole range of responses. Personal experience with the species, its attributes and the time since its introduction, the area of residency, and the knowledge of the problems posed by this species affect the opinion and attitudes towards the presence of red-bellied squirrels. Management plans must be designed for each invasion focus not only considering biological and economic issues, but also social and political ones. At the same time, a national strategy of prevention to stop the creation of new invasion foci is urgently needed. We therefore need strategies to reorient the relationship between people and environmental resources and to promote appreciation of local ecosystems and native species as much as co-responsibility and citizen participation in the problems posed by biological invasions, and the illegal trade of wild fauna and pets. |
| publisher |
Asociación Argentina de Ecología |
| publishDate |
2013 |
| url |
https://ojs.ecologiaaustral.com.ar/index.php/Ecologia_Austral/article/view/1169 |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT borgniamariela theredbelliedsquirrelinargentinaandthemanagementofintroducedspeciesasabiologicalandsocialproblem AT benitezveronica theredbelliedsquirrelinargentinaandthemanagementofintroducedspeciesasabiologicalandsocialproblem AT gozzicecilia theredbelliedsquirrelinargentinaandthemanagementofintroducedspeciesasabiologicalandsocialproblem AT guichonmlaura theredbelliedsquirrelinargentinaandthemanagementofintroducedspeciesasabiologicalandsocialproblem AT borgniamariela laardilladevientrerojoenargentinayelmanejodeespeciesintroducidascomounproblemabiologicoysocial AT benitezveronica laardilladevientrerojoenargentinayelmanejodeespeciesintroducidascomounproblemabiologicoysocial AT gozzicecilia laardilladevientrerojoenargentinayelmanejodeespeciesintroducidascomounproblemabiologicoysocial AT guichonmlaura laardilladevientrerojoenargentinayelmanejodeespeciesintroducidascomounproblemabiologicoysocial AT borgniamariela redbelliedsquirrelinargentinaandthemanagementofintroducedspeciesasabiologicalandsocialproblem AT benitezveronica redbelliedsquirrelinargentinaandthemanagementofintroducedspeciesasabiologicalandsocialproblem AT gozzicecilia redbelliedsquirrelinargentinaandthemanagementofintroducedspeciesasabiologicalandsocialproblem AT guichonmlaura redbelliedsquirrelinargentinaandthemanagementofintroducedspeciesasabiologicalandsocialproblem |
| _version_ |
1787234022724730880 |
| spelling |
rev-ecoaus-article-11692023-11-02T20:55:48Z The red-bellied squirrel in Argentina and the management of introduced species as a biological and social problem La ardilla de vientre rojo en Argentina y el manejo de especies introducidas como un problema biológico y social Borgnia, Mariela Benitez, Verónica Gozzi, Cecilia Guichón, M. Laura charismatic species biological invasions environmental perceptions especie carismática invasiones biológicas percepción ambiental The study and management of exotic invasive species has been mainly focused on understanding the invasion process and designing adequate management techniques; however, in recent years several studies have shown the importance of involving social groups of the local community in the implementation of management plans. In this study we describe opinions and attitudes of six social groups (producers and service providers, environmentalists, neighbours, personnel of protected areas, civil servants, and teachers) regarding the presence of the red-bellied squirrels introduced in Argentina. The occurrence of various invasion foci of squirrels in three Argentinian provinces results from intentional releases of individuals, sometimes obtained by illegal trade. Opinion towards the presence of squirrels ranged from a negative perception of the squirrels viewed as a problem species that needs to be controlled to a positive perception of the squirrels viewed as an attractive species. Some groups showed a predominant opinion while others reflected the whole range of responses. Personal experience with the species, its attributes and the time since its introduction, the area of residency, and the knowledge of the problems posed by this species affect the opinion and attitudes towards the presence of red-bellied squirrels. Management plans must be designed for each invasion focus not only considering biological and economic issues, but also social and political ones. At the same time, a national strategy of prevention to stop the creation of new invasion foci is urgently needed. We therefore need strategies to reorient the relationship between people and environmental resources and to promote appreciation of local ecosystems and native species as much as co-responsibility and citizen participation in the problems posed by biological invasions, and the illegal trade of wild fauna and pets. El estudio y manejo de especies exóticas invasoras ha estado principalmente enfocado en conocer el proceso de invasión y técnicas adecuadas de manejo. Sin embargo, en los últimos años los estudios que promueven la participación de diferentes grupos sociales de la comunidad en los planes de manejo han cobrado importancia. En este trabajo describimos las opiniones y actitudes predominantes de seis grupos sociales (productores y prestadores de servicios, ambientalistas, vecinos, personal de áreas protegidas, funcionarios y docentes) con respecto a la presencia de la ardilla de vientre rojo introducida en Argentina. La existencia de varios focos de invasión de ardillas en tres provincias argentinas se relaciona con liberaciones intencionales de ardillas, en ocasiones obtenidas por comercio ilegal. Las opiniones con respecto a la presencia de ardillas variaron desde una percepción negativa que consideraba que era una especie problema que debía ser controlada hasta una percepción positiva que sostiene que es una especie atractiva y vistosa. Algunos grupos mostraron una opinión predominante, mientras que otros reflejaron todo el rango de respuestas. La experiencia directa con la especie, sus atributos y el tiempo desde su introducción, el área de residencia y el grado de conocimiento sobre la problemática influyen sobre las opiniones y actitudes de las personas. Las alternativas de manejo deben planificarse para cada zona invadida teniendo en cuenta las particularidades no sólo biológicas y económicas, sino también sociales y políticas. Al mismo tiempo, resulta imprescindible una estrategia nacional de prevención para frenar la aparición de nuevos focos de invasión. Para esto es fundamental desarrollar estrategias que reorienten la relación de las personas con los recursos del ambiente y promuevan la valoración de los ecosistemas locales y especies nativas, así como la co-responsabilidad y la participación ciudadana en la problemática de las invasiones biológicas, el tráfico de fauna y la tenencia de mascotas. Asociación Argentina de Ecología 2013-12-01 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion application/pdf https://ojs.ecologiaaustral.com.ar/index.php/Ecologia_Austral/article/view/1169 10.25260/EA.13.23.3.0.1169 Ecología Austral; Vol. 23 No. 3 (2013): December 2013, Pages 143-226; 147-155 Ecología Austral; Vol. 23 Núm. 3 (2013): December 2013, Pages 143-226; 147-155 1667-782X 0327-5477 spa https://ojs.ecologiaaustral.com.ar/index.php/Ecologia_Austral/article/view/1169/563 Derechos de autor 2020 Mariela Borgnia, Verónica Benitez, Cecilia Gozzi, M. Laura Guichón https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |