Hunting Dogs in the Lowland Neotropics

Once absent in much of Amazonia, dogs are now commonly used for hunting throughout the lowland Neotropics. Although some ethnographers have questioned their usefulness, dogs are particularly effective in pursuits of several mammalian prey species. The return rates of hunting with dogs appear to compare favorably with those of hunting with firearms, and dogs may be especially beneficial in anthropogenic habitats. There is considerable cross-cultural variation in the training and care of dogs. Good hunting dogs typically receive better care than their less-talented conspecifics. Mortality rates for dogs in the Neotropics are high, and the causes of death include malnutrition and attacks by other animals. Although isolated Neotropical societies may not have initially recognized the overall value of hunting dogs, a more likely explanation for the absence of dogs in prehistoric Amazonia is the high mortality of dog populations in the region. Additional research is needed to resolve ethnological questions about the use of dogs in the lowland Neotropics.