While bushmeat hunting is critical to the livelihoods of millions of people throughout the tropical world, it is also a major threat to wildlife conservation. Assessing the sustainability of hunting has been a major goal in conservation biology but developing methods that accurately predict patterns of prey depletion has proven notoriously problematic. In this study, we sought to assess the sustainability of the hunting of indigenous Waiwai in Guyana by comparing results from the most commonly used static sustainability index, the production model, with results from spatially explicit biodemographic models for three indicator species; tapirs Tapirus terrestris, spider monkeys Ateles paniscus, and curassows Crax alector. Our goals were to (1) assess how conclusions about sustainability differ between the two methods and (2) to determine the suitability of biodemographic modeling for nonprimate taxa. We used hunter-self monitoring data to calculate annual harvest and to estimate parameters for biodemographic models. The production model indicated that all three species were being overharvested, with T. terrestris harvested at six times the sustainable rate. In contrast, biodemographic models indicated that each species would persist in the Waiwai catchment area in 20 years (although A. paniscus would be close to extirpation), even if the Waiwai population increased by 64% and shifted to all shotgun hunting. Predicted densities for A. paniscus and C. alector were statistically indistinguishable from empirically derived encounter rates and those for T. terrestris were consistent with the locations of Waiwai kills, demonstrating the robustness of the model. While the weaknesses of static sustainability indices are well documented, they continue to be used and conclusions based on their results are still cited and influential in determining conservation policy. Our study demonstrates that biodemographic models perform far better than static indices and that the biodemographic approach is robust for a range of different prey species.

Zoonotic disease risk is greatly influenced by cultural practices and belief systems. Yet, few studies have integrated traditional ecological knowledge and ontology with western ways of knowing to better understand potential zoonoses. Here, we integrate molecular phylogenetics, histopathology, and ethnography to characterize a filarial nematode found within the abdominal cavity of spider monkeys (Ateles paniscus). The filarid is recognized as ‘spider monkey cotton’ by indigenous Waiwai in the Konashen Community Owned Conservation Area, Guyana. Ethnographic data revealed that the Waiwai perceive of ‘spider monkey cotton’ as a normal characteristic within the ‘spider monkey person.’ Further, the Waiwai indicated that ‘cotton’ was ubiquitous with spider monkeys and is not understood to be infectious nor zoonotic. This distinction is in contrast to other internal parasites found within spider monkeys that the Waiwai know to cause disease in both monkeys and humans. Our morphological and molecular characterization support the classification of the filarid as Dipetalonema caudispina, a minimally studied and seemingly non-zoonotic parasite, consistent with Waiwai beliefs. Thus, our findings allow us to establish commensurability between scientific knowledge and indigenous ontology. More broadly, this work highlights the importance of integrating multiple knowledge systems and leveraging advanced genomics to better understand and prevent emerging zoonotic diseases.