Armadillos May Be an Underexploited Source of Food Security for Rural Communities in the Peruvian Amazon

Subsistence hunting remains vital for food security and cultural identity in the Amazon, but its sustainability is uncertain. In Loreto, Peru, hunters often target commercially valuable species such as paca (Cuniculus paca), collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), and red brocket deer (Mazama americana). Other species, including the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), are commonly eaten but rarely sold, suggesting potential as “subsistence-only” game. We conducted weekly interviews with 19 hunters in the Indigenous Maijuna community of Sucusari from 2018 to 2019, recording 671 hunting events. Market-preferred species dominated sales, while armadillos accounted for 14 kills (58 kg) and only 0.22% of sales. Complementary camera trap surveys in 2023 (7259 trap nights) recorded 410 independent detections of armadillos. A multiseason occupancy model indicated high occupancy (98.0%, 95% CI: 91.2–99.7%) across the basin, with positive associations with palm density and elevation, and no evidence of reduced occupancy under hunting pressure. These results suggest armadillos are both widespread and resilient, supported by their unique reproductive strategy of producing four genetically identical offspring per pregnancy. Promoting subsistence use of resilient species like armadillos could enhance local food security while reducing pressure on vulnerable taxa, aligning conservation and livelihood goals in Amazonian communities.