Cosmovision and traditional uses of mammals in Detiña Ejido, Acambay, Mexico State

Traditional knowledge is the setting up of human-nature relationships, and these relationships can be measured through the cultural value given to each species. Due to the loss of biological and cultural diversity, current management and conservation strategies must necessarily consider the value and uses given to natural resources. This work presents the worldview, knowledge and uses related to wild mammals of the Otomi community, Detiña Ejido, Mexico State, semi-structured questionnaires were carried out to 46 people from November 2019 to April 2020, and the information was analyzed with frequency graphs and the Cultural Importance Index (CII). The community recognized 16 species of mammals and nine uses (artisan, beneficial, food, harmful, magic-religious, medicinal, ornamental, pet, sport-hunting). The species with the highest frequency of acknowledgement are: rabbit (88; food, artisanal and harmful); squirrel (63; food, artisan, harmful), and coyote (54; medicinal, harmful, magical-religious); and the species with the highest Cultural Importance Index are: rabbit (71.10), coyote (39.45) and squirrel (38.83). Furthermore, native people maintain strong bonds materially and spiritually with wild species. Therefore, this work serves as the basis for bringing about policies and strategies for the conservation of species in relation to their value of cultural importance.