In this study, 1 investigated the effects on the local populations of wild mammals of the hunting activities of the residents of a rural settlement in the Amazonian forest of the northern part of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. The second part of the Japuranã settlement — the study site — was occupied three years ago. Formal interviews were conducted with 17 settlers. Additional information was collected informally, during all forms of contact with settlers during the study period. The majority of settlers are from southern and southeastern Brazil. Typically, they are semi-literate rural workers, with very low monthly income. The principal hunting techniques used are "ambush", "chase with dogs" and "excursion". Game meat was an important part of settlers' diets, and was included in about a third of meals. The activities of 14 hunters were monitored between May and November, 2003, during which they captured 113 mammals belonging to 17 species. Analyses of population structure based on crania were possible for only two species, the white-lipped (Tayassu pecari and the collared (Pecari tajacu) peccaries. The analysis indicated that the situation of the structure of the population of the T.pecari and the P.tajacu is sensible and could seriously be affected if the pressure increase. An estimated 4096.3 kg of game was extracted from an area of approximately 38 km2, representing an average consumption of 0.268 kg of meat per person per day. Line transect population surveys were conducted at three sites, two in the settlement and a third in a nearby "control" area of continuous forest where hunting is not practised. Over a total transect of 108 km, 15 species of mammal and four species of bird were recorded, with relatively high sightings rates in comparison with most other sites in central and eastern Amazonia. However, species richness and abundance were greater at both settlement sites in comparison with the control. The abundance of ungulates (peccaries and deer), the primary game species, was also greater in the settlement (both sites) in comparison with the control. This suggests clearly that hunting pressure has not yet had a significant impact on the mammal populations of the settlement, at least in terms of abundance. The majority (85.8%) of hunting was directed at subsistence, while 8.0% involved the control of predators of domestic stock, and the remaining 6.2% was "predatory", basically for the protection of the dogs during chase hunting. Despite this pressure, the relative abundance of mammals in the settlement suggests that hunting is sustainable over the short term (three years), possibly as a result of the natural abundance of mammals in the region, and the still reduced human population density. However, this situation may not last long, given that deforestation and consequent habitat fragmentation is an ongoing process, and there are no controls on hunting in the area. The results of this study provide an important data base for the development of management plans for the local fauna, involving the local community, government, environmental organisations, and research institutions. These plans will be fundamental to both the conservation of species and the more efficient exploitation of game resources by local settlers.
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