Ethnozoological study of the Tamang people in Konjyosom Rural Municipality, Lalitpur, Nepal
Abstract
Ethnic/indigenous people of Nepal have a long history of using animals as medicine. The current study was conducted to determine the ethnozoological relationship, concerning the use of animals, their body parts, and animal products as traditional medicine by the people of Tamang community living in Konjyosom Rural Municipality in Lalitpur district of Nepal. The study was conducted in Chaughare (Ward Number 1), and the ethnozoological data were collected from local people and key informants through interviews, semi-structured questionnaire surveys, and direct field observation. Results showed that 78% of the respondents out of 100 were familiar with using animals as medicines. These people were reported to use 33 different animals (domestic: 8 species and wild: 25 species) for treating various illnesses and diseases in other ways. Considering the age and gender, female respondents and people of age (50–59 years) mainly used to prefer animal consumption for healing their illnesses and diseases. Furthermore, the oral route of administration (81%) and consumption of flesh via cooking were highly preferred. Their tendency to use animals as medicine was higher, so the risk of threatening a few important faunae may exist in the study area. This study will be baseline information for strategic conservation and management of wildlife in the study area or elsewhere within the country.
References
Adhikari J.N., Bhattarai B.P., Rokaya M.B. and Thapa T.B. 2020. Ethno-medicinal uses of vertebrates in the Chitwan-Annapurna landscape, central Nepal. PLoS ONE, 15: e0240555. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0240555.
Adhikari R.B., Parajuli R.P., Maharjan M. and Ghimire T.R. 2021. Prevalence and risk factors of gastrointestinal parasites in the Chepangs in Nepal. Annals of Parasitology, 67:387–405. https://doi.org/10.17420/ap6703.353
Alves R.R.N., Feijó A., Barboza R.R.D., Souto W.M.S., Fernandes-Ferreira H., Cordeiro-Estrela P. t al. 2016. Game mammals of the Caatinga biome. Ethnobiology and Conservation, 5:1–51. https://doi.org/10.15451/ec2016-7-5.5-1-51
Benitez G. 2011. Animals are used for medicinal and magico-religious purposes in western Granada Province, Andalusia (Spain). Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 137:1113–1123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2011.07.036
Bhattarai N.K. 1992. Medical ethnobotany in the Karnali Zone, Nepal. Economic Botany, 46:257–261. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02866624
Bhattarai S., Chaudhary R.P. and Taylor R.SL. 2009. Ethno-medicinal plants used by the people of Nawalparasi district, central Nepal. Our Nature, 7:82–99. https://doi.org/10.3126/on.v7i1.2555
Chellappandian M., Pandikumar P., Mutheeswaran S., Paulraj M.G., Prabakaran S., Duraipandiyan V. et al 2014. Documentation and quantitative analysis of local ethnozoological knowledge among traditional healers of Theni district, Tamil Nadu, India. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 154:116–130. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2014.03.028.
Cragg G.M. and Newman D.J. 2013. Natural products: a continuing source of novel drug leads. Biochim Biophsysis Acta, 1830:3670–3695. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbagen.2013.02.008
da Silva Vieira W.L., Alves R. and Santana G. 2008. Reptiles used in traditional folk medicine: conservation implications. Biodiversity and Conservation, 17:2037–2049. https://doi.org/1007/s10531-007-9305-0
Fernandes-Ferreira H., Mendonca S.V., Cruz R.L., Borges-Nojosa D.M. and Nobrega Alves R.R. 2013. Hunting of herpetofauna in montane, coastal, and dryland areas of Northeastern Brazil. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 8:652–666.
Ghimire T.R., Adhikari R.B. and Regmi R. 2020. The Zigzag Trail of Symbiosis among Chepang, Bat, and Butter Tree. Wild Plants, 231. http://doi.org/10.1201/9781003020134-12
Ghimire T.R., Pant P., Regmi G.R. and Huettmann F. 2020. Ethnobiology and Indigenous Regimes in the Conservation of Species, Watersheds, and Landscapes: Experiences and Evidences from the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Nations for a Global Application. Hindu Kush-Himalaya Watersheds Downhill: Landscape Ecology and Conservation Perspectives, 249–281. http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36275-1
Jaroli D.Á., Mahawar M.M. and Vyas N. 2010. An ethnozoological study in the adjoining areas of Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, India. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 6:1–8.
Kakati L.N. and Doulo V. 2002. Indigenous knowledge system of zootherapeutic use by Chakhesang tribe of Nagaland, India. Journal of Human Ecology, 13:419–423. http://doi.org/10.1080/09709274.2002.11905579
Kim H. and Song M.J. 2013. Ethnozoological study of medicinal animals on Jeju Island, Korea. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 146:75–82. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2012.11.011.
Lev E. 2003. Traditional healing with animals (zootherapy): medieval to present-day Levantine practice. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 85:107–118. http://doi.org/10.1016/s0378-8741(02)00377-x
Limbu D.K. and Rai B.K. 2013. Ethno-Medicinal Practices among the Limbu Community in Limbuwan-Eastern Nepal. Global Journal of Human Social Science, 13:1–29.
Lohani U. 2010. Man-animal relationships in Central Nepal. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 6:1–11.
Lohani U. 2011a. Eroding ethnozoological knowledge among Magars in Central Nepal. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, 10:466–473
Lohani U. 2011b. Studies on Ethno-Medicine Traditional uses of animals among Jirels of Central Nepal. Ethnomedicine 5:115–124. https://doi.org/10.1080/09735070.2011.11886398
Marques J.G. 1997. Fauna medicinal: Recurso do ambiente ou ameaça à biodiversidade. Mutum, 1(1):4.
Maskey S. 2007. Indigenous knowledge system as a resource for sustaining Raji work and life. Social Inclusion Research Fund Secretariats, SNV Netherlands Development Organization, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Mati E. and de Boer H. 2011. Ethnobotany and trade of medicinal plants in the Qaysari Market, Kurdish Autonomous Region, Iraq. Journal of Ethnopharmacology,133:490–510. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2010.10.023.
Mishra N., Rout S.D. and Panda T. 2011. Ethno-zoological studies and medicinal values of Similipal Biosphere Reserve, Orissa, India. African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 5:6–11.
Nolan J.M., Jones K.E., McDougal K.W., McFarlin M.J. and Ward M.K. 2006. The lovable, the loathsome, and the liminal: emotionality in ethnozoological cognition. Journal of Ethnobiology, 26:126–138. http://doi.org/10.2993/0278-0771(2006)26[126:TLTLAT]2.0.CO;2
NSO 2022. National Report on Caste/ethnicity, Language and Religion. National Population and Housing Census 2021, National Statistics Office, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Paudyal R. and Singh N.B. 2014. Ethno-medicinal uses of animals and plants among the migratory tangbetons of Pokhara, Nepal. Journal of Institute of Science and Technology, 19:145–149. http://doi.org/10.3126/jist.v19i1.13840
Poudel M. and Singh N.B. 2016. Teaching (with) medical ethnology: Indigenous knowledge system found in Raji people of Western Nepal. International Journal Multidisciplinary, 1:47–62
Prabhu S., Vijayakumar S., Yabesh J.M., Ravichandran K. and and Sakthivel B. 2014. Documentation and quantitative analysis of the local knowledge on medicinal plants in Kalrayan hills of Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu, India. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 157:7–20. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2014.09.014
Rai R. and Singh N. B. 2015. Medico-ethnobiology in Rai community: a case study from Baikunthe Village development committee, Bhojpur, eastern Nepal. Journal of Institute of Science and Technology, 20:127–132. http://doi.org/10.3126/jist.v20i1.13935
Sharma N. and Dubey W. 2013. History and taxonomy of Aegle marmelos: a review. International Journal of Pure and Applied Bioscience, 1:7–13.
Shrestha B. and Gurung M.B. 2019. Natural history notes on three sympatric frogs, Amolops formosus (Günther 1875), Nanorana liebigii (Günther 1860), and Ombrana sikimensis (Jerdon 1870), from Manaslu Conservation Area, Nepal. Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, 13:152–159. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-019-0304-5
Solavan A., Paulmurugan R., Wilsanand V. and Sing A.J. 2004. Traditional therapeutic uses of animals among tribal population of Tamil Nadu. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, 3:198–205.
Souto W.M.S., Barboza R.R.D., Fernandes-Ferreira H., Júnior A.J.C.M., Monteiro J. M., Abi-chacra É.D.A. et. al 2018. Zootherapeutic uses of wildmeat and associated products in the semiarid region of Brazil: general aspects and challenges for conservation. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, 14:1–16.
Tamang P. and Singh N.B. 2015. Medical ethnobiology and indigenous knowledge system of the Lapcha of Fikkal VDC of Ilam, Nepal. Journal of Institute of Science and Technology, 19:45–52. https://doi.org/10.3126/jist.v19i2.13851
Timilsina S.H. and Singh N. B. 2014. Ethnobiology and indigenous knowledge about medicinal animals and plants in the Balami ethnic Group in Nepal. Journal of Institute of Science and Technology, 19:79–85. https://doi.org/10.3126/jist.v19i2.13857
Upadhyay P. 2013. Ethnicity, stereotypes and ethnic movements in Nepal. Crossing the Border: International Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 1:65–78. https://doi.org/10.3126/ctbijis.v1i1.10470
Verma A. K., Prasad S. B., Prasad Rongpi T. and Arjun J. 2014. Traditional healing with animals (zootherapy) by the major ethnic group of Karbi Anglong district of Assam, India. International journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 6:593–600.
Vijayakumar S., Yabesh J.M., Prabhu S., Ayyanar M. and Damodaran R. 2015. Ethnozoological study of animals used by traditional healers in Silent Valley of Kerala, India. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 162:296–305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2014.12.055
WHO 1993. World Health Organization. Guidelines on the conservation of medicinal plants. Gland: International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Castel Cary Press, Somerset, UK, p 1.
The Nepalese Journal of Zoology has a licensing policy that permits distribution, remixing, adaption, and build upon your work under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License. Authors retain the copyright of the contents published in NJZ and need to grant the right of first publication to the journal. It also allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., on their website) prior to and during the submission process (e.g., as a preprint), as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of the published work. However, authors need to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements with NJZ for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in an institutional book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
