PH.D.FABIANA FILARDI
Among these species are “jacarés” (Caiman latirostris and Caiman yacare), who mainly suffer from the threats of indiscriminate hunting stimulated by its considerable economic potential. For many years, the illegal hunting of alligators in the Pantanal was responsible for approximately 75% of the international market supplies of crocodilian leather. Fortunately, in the late 1990’s illegal hunting began to be replaced by selective hunting programs and egg collection (at certain times of the year and in areas susceptible to a large increase of the natural population), as well as the implementation and specialization of rearing in captivity, mainly in Brazil, but also in Venezuela and Colombia. Currently, Brazilians successful breeders emphasize that the management of native species (“jacaré-de-papo-amarelo” and “jacaré-do-Pantanal”) shows higher economic returns on the foreign market than the creation of exotic species (eg. black caiman and crocodile of the Nile), besides being more ecologically safe and feasible. In the same way, these businesspersons are actively working to Brazil did not just export the raw material, that is the skin, and pass to occupy a highlight position in the export of final products, such as bags and shoes.
