23 

 parents and grandparents frequently ate armadillo meat in the past as they knew how to remove the 

 tumors (J. H. Balam Xiu, pers. comm.)- Tamanduas {Tamandua mexicatia) often were killed by motor 

 vehicles at night along Mexico Route 307. 



The single lagomorph species reported for western Quintana Roo was not present in the study 

 area (Dowler and Engstrom, 1988; Jones et al., 1974b). Three of the six rodents were relatively 

 common in horticultural areas and regularly were taken as game; paca {Agouti paca; ca. 8.2 kg), agouti 

 (Dasyprocta punctata; ca. 3.6 kg), and pocket gopher (Orthogeomys hispidus; ca. 0.4 kg). The biology 

 of these species in the Yucatan Peninsula is poorly known (Jones et al., 1974a). 



Several species of carnivores occurred in the study area (Bimey et al., 1974; Genoways and 

 Jones, 1975). The coa.ti (Nasua nasua; 3.8 kg) was an important game species as well as a 

 troublesome crop predator. Coatis in large groups of up to 30-40 adult females and their young 

 frequently entered gardens and caused extensive damage to the com. Hunters reported taking pumas 

 {Felis concolor) and jaguars (Panthera onca) for their skins, teeth, and meat. The ocelot (Felis 

 pardalis) and margay (F. wiedii) also were taken for their skins. Only two hunters reported taking 

 kinkajous {Potos flavus) and raccoons (Procyon lotor). Raccoons often were shot as they consumed 

 com seedlings, but the carcass usually was left by hunters to rot. 



The tapir (Tapirus bairdii) was the largest mammal in the study area at about 275 kg, but 

 hunters did not report taking this species. Hunters indicated that tapirs were hard to kill due to their 

 thick skin and that the meat was not especially tasty. Tapirs occurred in the flooded lowlands in the 

 eastem part of the study area, but were uncommon in Quintana Roo (Sanchez-Herrera et al., 1986). 



There were two species of peccaries and two species of deer in the study area, and all four 

 taxa of these ungulates were major game species (Bimey et al., 1974; Genoways and Jones, 1975). 

 Both species of peccaries occurred in groups that ranged widely over gardens and forested areas. The 

 collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu; ca. 17.5 kg) was smaller, but more abundant than the white-lipped 

 peccary {T. pecari; ca. 28.6 kg; Aranda Sanchez, 1981; March M., 1987). The brocket deer (Mazama 



