https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/extart?codigo=7602986

The concept of bioculture emerges as a product of the interaction between human beings and their natural environment, referring to the interpretations people make about their environment and how these interpretations become part of the regional culture. Biocultural elements are presented as a tool to address environmental issues, allowing the protection of the intangible heritage of a community. Our goal was to describe the biocultural elements found in five human communities in the area of Paraíso de Cartago, Costa Rica, as well to describe the perceptions people have towards birds. We worked with 21 key informants from the five districts in Paraíso from September to November 2018. The informants included recreational walkers, as well as current and previous songbird hunters. Biocultural richness was reflected in 103 common names and 24 beliefs or superstitions about the birds in the area, which were grouped into positive, negative, and neutral perceptions. Of these stories and superstitions, negative perceptions were predominant (n = 16), and were mostly associated with fears, death, and witchcraft. Knowing regional bioculture is critical to carry out environmental educational campaigns focused on redirecting negative conceptions immersed in communities towards spaces of dialogue promoting inclusive conservation plans.