Zootherapy and rural livestock farmers in semiarid Patagonia: the transfer of animal aptitudes for health

CASTILLO, LUCÍA; LADIO, ANA

Ethnobiology and conservation

Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco

Lugar: lima; Año: 2019 vol. 8 p. 1 - 23

2238-4782

 This work investigates thetherapeutic value of animals to rural farmers who live on the central plateauof Chubut, Argentina. Open and in-depth interviews were carried out with 35rural farmers from Sierra Rosada, Sierra Ventana, El Escorial and Telsen. Atotal of 16 biological species (12 wild and 4 domestic animals) were registeredinvolved in treatment (34 registered up to thepresent) of different ailments, empachobeing one of the main therapeutic targets. Of the domestic species, the hen (Gallus gallus domesticus) was the most versatile in its usefulness, and the choique (Darwin?s Rhea) (Rhea pennata) was the most versatilewild animal. Farmers cited 15 different parts of the animals, fat being thesubstance which was obtainedfrom most species. These zootreatments imply the transfer of aptitudes (theacquisition of a certain attribute of a species through ingestion or contactwith specific parts of the animal), which transforms the health and lives ofthe people. Our results shed light on the symbolic and symbiotic relationshipswoven into rural life, with their implications for the conservation andmanagement of wild fauna.