The Marupiara dataset
The name Marupiara is derived from a specific epithet in the Indigenous Tupi language and is traditionally associated with the figure of the good or virtuous hunter. We compiled data from primary and secondary sources on wild tetrapods (mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians) that are hunted for food by Indigenous, traditional, and small-scale farming peoples in all nine Amazonian countries. Primary data were contributed by researchers involved in 12 long-term and short-term studies conducted in 342 communities in Brazil, Peru and French Guyana between 1991 and 2024 (Supplementary Methods 4). Secondary data were obtained from 203 peer-reviewed articles, technical reports, postgraduate dissertations and theses reporting hunting studies in 290 communities in all nine Amazonian countries between 1965 and 2021 (Supplementary Methods 5).
The composition of hunted taxa, documenting the number of individual animals hunted per taxon, year and locality, which was used to model the TSOP, was recorded in 590 localities. Whenever available, we also included data on hunting effort—specifically the number of hunters surveyed and the number of recording days—which was used to model the HHR. Hunting effort data were available for 301 georeferenced localities.
We also compiled information on the number of hunters and consumers in each locality and year to calculate the hunters-to-consumers ratio, which we used to estimate the number of rural hunters in Amazonia based on regional population figures. Each locality was georeferenced, and we recorded the cultural identity of hunter communities where available. We also collected data on the biomass of animals hunted. Further details on the derivation and application of these metrics are provided below.
The final Marupiara dataset comprises 21,397 records of hunted taxa composition, representing 447,438 individual animals hunted across 625 georeferenced communities in rural Amazonia from 1965 to 2024.
Hunting monitoring schemes
Primary data obtained through hunting monitoring schemes were generally collected under the supervision of researchers and Indigenous, traditional and small-scale farming trained researchers. Three main data collection methods were utilized:
(1) Written surveys. Standardized forms were used to record detailed information on hunted taxa, the number of individual animals hunted, and the estimated biomass per taxon. (2) Face-to-face interviews: In some communities, structured oral questionnaires were conducted with hunters. Trained interviewers asked hunters about their hunting activities and recorded their responses on paper or digital devices. These questionnaires captured the same information as the written surveys. (3) Direct monitoring: In select cases, researchers accompanied hunters during their activities, recording real-time observations on species composition and offtake.
All data collection efforts were meticulously documented to ensure consistency, accuracy and comparability across communities and time periods. The approach was designed to be both culturally respectful—honouring the knowledge systems and practices of participating communities—and scientifically rigorous, thereby ensuring the reliability and integrity of the data compiled in the Marupiara dataset.
Data selection and validation
... continue reading