Deer populations ofBrazil have been on a steadydecline due to loss of habitatand poaching by colonists. Inthe largest reservation of theSouth American continent incentral-west Brazil, XavanteIndians occupy a natural areaof 229,000 ha, bordering theRio das Mortes, a principaltributary of the Araguayariver in the state of MatoGrosso.
This reservation, knownas the Rio das Mortes AvanteReservation of PimentalBarbosa, stands as a model ofpreservation of natural areasthrough the use of-indigenous, traditional empiricalknowledge. It shelters fourspecies of deer - marsh deer,pampas deer, red-brocketand grey-brocket deer.Ninety per cent of the area'sphysiology is intact, but deeris one of the main diet of theXavante and therefore it ishunted throughout the year.
A study carried out in1991-93 found that huntingwas concentrated in 30 percent of the territory for manyyears and mainly two speciesof deer, the marsh and pampas deers were affected dueto hunting. The tribal council voted against a huntingban for certain species, andhunting was restricted to theborders of the territory orkept at a distance from theoverhunted area. A rotativehunting system and taxexemption incentives willalso be introduced. Theseinitiatives have improvedconditions for the recoveryof the deer populations.