Protect our Wildlife: No Hunting in Panama
The white-tailed deer, an agile and elegant mammal, is at the center of the debate. Legal hunters advocate for its regulated hunting, while conservationists point out its vulnerability, as well as that of other species, including the peccary and the painted rabbit.
This animal is listed as an endangered species in Resolution No. DM-0657-2016, so hunting it is not permitted.
Biologist Pedro Méndez-Carvajal stressed that in Panama one should not consider hunting any animal because their state of conservation is unknown, that is, there are no reports to support their abundance.
“You can’t hunt something whose conservation status is unknown. These species have no population studies, nor mortality or birth rates,” Méndez-Carvajal said.
The professor stressed that it is scientists, through the research they carry out in the field, who help MiAmbiente evaluate endangered species.
Méndez-Carvajal stressed that the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is one of the most coveted mammals by hunters, due to the source of meat it represents.
In this regard, the researcher explained that there could be competition between legal hunters and people who need it to survive in the fields.
“It is important to protect these species that our farmers hunt for subsistence because many do not have the money or the ability to find the product elsewhere,” he added.
According to MiAmbiente’s list of threatened species, the white-tailed deer is classified as vulnerable.
According to Méndez-Carvajal, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classification may be slightly lower than that of Panama or of similar magnitude, but that does not mean there is no risk.
On the other hand, environmental lawyer Harley Mitchell, representing the hunting clubs, said that the MiAmbiente list of species is arbitrary and does not follow IUCN parameters.
Mitchell advocates for legal hunting of non-endangered species such as white-tailed deer, wild boar and painted rabbit.
He stressed that regulated hunting would help combat poaching and protect biodiversity.
Characteristics of White-tailed Deer
The Center for Biotic Resources Studies at the University of Panama indicated that this deer is distributed mainly in the central and western area of the Pacific sector.
“In the eastern half, it seems to only extend to the Bayano region. It prefers drier regions or those with a more pronounced dry season,” he notes.
He also indicated that the offspring are born dark reddish brown with white spots, a color they maintain for up to three months.
