Cultural and Medicinal Use of Amphibians and Reptiles by Indigenous People in Punjab, Pakistan with Comments on Conservation Implications for Herpetofauna
Amphibians and reptiles have interacted with humans for millennia. However, humans interact with amphibian and reptile species in different manners, which depend on their culture and traditions. This study was designed to better understand the interactions between amphibian and reptile species and t...
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/16/2062 |
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| author | Saba Adil Muhammad Altaf Tanveer Hussain Muhammad Umair Jian Ni Arshad Mehmood Abbasi Rainer W. Bussmann Sana Ashraf |
| author_facet | Saba Adil Muhammad Altaf Tanveer Hussain Muhammad Umair Jian Ni Arshad Mehmood Abbasi Rainer W. Bussmann Sana Ashraf |
| author_sort | Saba Adil |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Amphibians and reptiles have interacted with humans for millennia. However, humans interact with amphibian and reptile species in different manners, which depend on their culture and traditions. This study was designed to better understand the interactions between amphibian and reptile species and their usage among the native peoples in the vicinity of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers, Pakistan. Information was collected through semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, and was analyzed by using different indices, including the frequency of citation, corrected fidelity level, fidelity level, relative importance level, and informant major ailment. Two amphibians and twenty-six reptile species were used in therapeutic medicine in the study area. Based on the cultural analysis, we found that <i>Naja naja</i> (black cobra) was highly cited across all cultural groups. A 100% <i>Fidelity Level</i> was calculated for the following species: <i>Naja naja</i> (eye infection), <i>Varanus bengalensis</i> (joint pain), <i>Eurylepis taeniolatus</i> (cataract), and <i>Acanthodactylus cantoris</i> (cancer). We found five endangered species in the study area, i.e., <i>Aspideretes gangeticus, A. hurum, Chitra indica, Varanus flavescens</i>, and <i>Geoclemys hamiltonii</i>, that were used to cure joint pain, muscle stretching and pain, backbone pain, paralysis, and psoriasis, respectively. Likewise, <i>Lissemys punctata andersoni</i>, a vulnerable species as labelled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, was extensively used for the treatment of joint pain, body pain, paralysis, and arthritis in the study area. In terms of conservation, it is critical to protect the highly vulnerable and endangered species that are being used in therapeutic medicines. Our findings may be helpful for the conservation of amphibian and reptile species by helping to make an effective plan to prevent their extinction. The main threats to the diversity of amphibian and reptile species in the area are hunting, trading, and cultural use. These threats could potentially lead to the extinction of these species. Therefore, with the involvement of concerned authorities, e.g., local stakeholders, the Ministry of Climate Change, provincial wildlife departments, academia, and conservation managers, immediate conservation measures should be taken for the protection and sustainable utilization of medicinal species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:00:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-35052a642b524a4c87a51010b34a5e9e |
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| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:00:24Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
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| spelling | doaj.art-35052a642b524a4c87a51010b34a5e9e2023-11-30T23:03:48ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152022-08-011216206210.3390/ani12162062Cultural and Medicinal Use of Amphibians and Reptiles by Indigenous People in Punjab, Pakistan with Comments on Conservation Implications for HerpetofaunaSaba Adil0Muhammad Altaf1Tanveer Hussain2Muhammad Umair3Jian Ni4Arshad Mehmood Abbasi5Rainer W. Bussmann6Sana Ashraf7College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, ChinaDepartment of Forestry, Range and Wildlife Management, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, PakistanDepartment of Forestry, Range and Wildlife Management, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, PakistanCollege of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, ChinaCollege of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, ChinaDepartment of Environment Sciences, Abbottabad Campus, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad 22060, PakistanDepartment of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany and Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden, Ilia State University, Tbilisi 0105, GeorgiaDepartment of Zoology, Sargodha Campus, University of Lahore, Sargodha 40100, PakistanAmphibians and reptiles have interacted with humans for millennia. However, humans interact with amphibian and reptile species in different manners, which depend on their culture and traditions. This study was designed to better understand the interactions between amphibian and reptile species and their usage among the native peoples in the vicinity of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers, Pakistan. Information was collected through semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, and was analyzed by using different indices, including the frequency of citation, corrected fidelity level, fidelity level, relative importance level, and informant major ailment. Two amphibians and twenty-six reptile species were used in therapeutic medicine in the study area. Based on the cultural analysis, we found that <i>Naja naja</i> (black cobra) was highly cited across all cultural groups. A 100% <i>Fidelity Level</i> was calculated for the following species: <i>Naja naja</i> (eye infection), <i>Varanus bengalensis</i> (joint pain), <i>Eurylepis taeniolatus</i> (cataract), and <i>Acanthodactylus cantoris</i> (cancer). We found five endangered species in the study area, i.e., <i>Aspideretes gangeticus, A. hurum, Chitra indica, Varanus flavescens</i>, and <i>Geoclemys hamiltonii</i>, that were used to cure joint pain, muscle stretching and pain, backbone pain, paralysis, and psoriasis, respectively. Likewise, <i>Lissemys punctata andersoni</i>, a vulnerable species as labelled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, was extensively used for the treatment of joint pain, body pain, paralysis, and arthritis in the study area. In terms of conservation, it is critical to protect the highly vulnerable and endangered species that are being used in therapeutic medicines. Our findings may be helpful for the conservation of amphibian and reptile species by helping to make an effective plan to prevent their extinction. The main threats to the diversity of amphibian and reptile species in the area are hunting, trading, and cultural use. These threats could potentially lead to the extinction of these species. Therefore, with the involvement of concerned authorities, e.g., local stakeholders, the Ministry of Climate Change, provincial wildlife departments, academia, and conservation managers, immediate conservation measures should be taken for the protection and sustainable utilization of medicinal species.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/16/2062folklore knowledgeconservation herpetologyJhelum peoplePakistan |
| spellingShingle | Saba Adil Muhammad Altaf Tanveer Hussain Muhammad Umair Jian Ni Arshad Mehmood Abbasi Rainer W. Bussmann Sana Ashraf Cultural and Medicinal Use of Amphibians and Reptiles by Indigenous People in Punjab, Pakistan with Comments on Conservation Implications for Herpetofauna Animals folklore knowledge conservation herpetology Jhelum people Pakistan |
| title | Cultural and Medicinal Use of Amphibians and Reptiles by Indigenous People in Punjab, Pakistan with Comments on Conservation Implications for Herpetofauna |
| title_full | Cultural and Medicinal Use of Amphibians and Reptiles by Indigenous People in Punjab, Pakistan with Comments on Conservation Implications for Herpetofauna |
| title_fullStr | Cultural and Medicinal Use of Amphibians and Reptiles by Indigenous People in Punjab, Pakistan with Comments on Conservation Implications for Herpetofauna |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cultural and Medicinal Use of Amphibians and Reptiles by Indigenous People in Punjab, Pakistan with Comments on Conservation Implications for Herpetofauna |
| title_short | Cultural and Medicinal Use of Amphibians and Reptiles by Indigenous People in Punjab, Pakistan with Comments on Conservation Implications for Herpetofauna |
| title_sort | cultural and medicinal use of amphibians and reptiles by indigenous people in punjab pakistan with comments on conservation implications for herpetofauna |
| topic | folklore knowledge conservation herpetology Jhelum people Pakistan |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/16/2062 |
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