Estudo etnoherpetológico: conhecimentos populares sobre anfíbios e répteis no município de Caçapava do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

The ethnoherpetology can be used as an important tool for obtaining information on the reptiles and amphibians, therefore, to record the popular knowledge as well as beliefs concerning amphibians and reptiles, developed a research ethnoherpetology in the municipality of Caçapava do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul. To obtain the data were applied questionnaire with closed questions (objective) and open (subjective), the latter being based on the technique of the Discourse of the Collective Subject. The questionnaires were administered in two schools, one located in the urban area, and the other in the rural area, in the Coxilha de São José. Questionnaires were administered to members of the rural community of the locality Picada do Ricardinho. Participated in this research of 18 rural school students and 44 urban school students, belonging to the 7th and 8th grade years, in the rural area were interviewed 22 people, totaling 84 questionnaires. After the survey was conducted an educational workshop in one of the classroom, in order to increase knowledge of amphibians and reptiles and clarify the popular beliefs that were more common. With this research it was established that many myths are still believed to be true because of ignorance on the subject.