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DOLPHINS, LOVE AND ENCHANTMENT: TRACING THE USE OF CETACEAN PRODUCTS IN BRAZIL
Affilliation
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Enterobactérias. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil / Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Marinhos da Região dos Lagos. Araruama, RJ, Brasil.
Instituto Nacional de Câncer. Programa de Genética. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi. Coordenação de Zoologia. Setor de Mastozoologia. Programa de Capacitação Institucional. Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos da Amazônia. Belém, PA, Brasil.
Instituto Nacional de Câncer. Programa de Genética. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Reservatórios Silvestres. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil.
Instituto Nacional de Câncer. Programa de Genética. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi. Coordenação de Zoologia. Setor de Mastozoologia. Programa de Capacitação Institucional. Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos da Amazônia. Belém, PA, Brasil.
Instituto Nacional de Câncer. Programa de Genética. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Reservatórios Silvestres. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil.
Abstract
The human population of the Brazilian Amazon possesses a rich body of beliefs
and practices that relate to river dolphins, which are also known as botos (Inia and
Sotalia species). There is a widespread belief in their magical powers in relation to love
enchantments. One form that this takes is “dolphin love charms” and these are widely in
use in northern Brazil, and also in the largest southern cities. This paper considers the
trade of cetacean products in the form of love charms in Brazil. Samples were obtained
in the north (n = 70), northeast (n = 3) and southeast (n = 59) regions from 34 shops or
municipalmarkets. A total of 38 of the 131 collected samples were evaluated by complete
cytochrome b sequencing, revealing the use of two species: the Guiana dolphin (Sotalia
guianensis) (n = 3) and the domestic pig (Sus scrofa) (n = 10) and samples containing no
animal material (n = 10) were also detected. Pigs are used to fake love charm products
in Rio de Janeiro. However, whereas in the southeast there is no actual use of dolphin
tissues in love charms, there is a widespread use of dolphin tissue in northern Brazil,
including, muscle, eyes, penis and vagina. The data confirm a regular trade of dolphin
products in large cities in the north and northeast of Brazil and the need for more intense
actions from governmental agencies in order to curb this illegal trade.
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