An Intersectionality-Based Policy Analysis Examining the Complexities of Access to Wild Game and Fish for Urban Indigenous Women in Northwestern Ontario

The destruction of Indigenous food systems is a direct consequence of the settler-colonial project within Canada and has led to decreasing access to Indigenous foods, disproportionate rates of food insecurity and disconnection from Indigenous food systems and environments. We interviewed Indigenous women, non-Indigenous staff of Indigenous-serving organizations, and policymakers (i.e., those who develop, interpret, or implement wild food policy) to explore how the policy context has impacted Indigenous women and their communities’ experiences of accessing Indigenous foods in urban northwestern Ontario. We applied an Intersectionality-Based Policy Analysis (IBPA) Framework to shape our research questions and guide the thematic analysis of the data. We found that stakeholder groups had differing understandings of the issue of accessing wild foods and Indigenous food security and their actions either supported or disrupted efforts for access to wild food to promote food security or Indigenous Food Sovereignty. Policymakers cited necessary barriers to promote food safety and support conservation of wildlife. Staff of Indigenous-serving organizations approached the issue with consideration of both Western and Indigenous worldviews, while Indigenous women spoke about the ongoing impacts of colonial policy and government control over their lands and territories. The main policy areas discussed included residential school policy, food regulation, and natural resource regulation. We also investigated community-level strategies for improvement, such as a wild game license. Throughout, we tied the colonial control over ‘wildlife’ and the Western food safety discourse, with infringements on Indigenous Food Sovereignty, experiences of racism in food settings and on the land, as well as with broad control over Indigenous sovereignty in Ontario. This work contributes to an increased understanding of how Western discourses about health, food, and the environment are perpetuated through systemic racism in government policy and reiterated through policymakers' views and interpretations or actions. Government institutions must develop culturally safe partnerships with Indigenous leaders and organizations to facilitate a transfer of power that can support Indigenous Food Sovereignty.

Use of the “Gifts” of the Animal World by the Population of the Northern Part of Bukovina in the 8th—13th Centuries

The article examines the ways of development and specialization of animal husbandry in a particular region, namely the northern part of Bukovina, over a fairly long period from the formation of East Slavic tribal reigns to the Ancient Rus state and the Mongol-Tatar invasion. The development of animal husbandry, the species composition of the herd of domestic animals, depending on the influence of the physical-geographical, natural-climatic and socio-economic conditions of the region is analyzed based on osteoarchaeological material. Such material from the settlements of the study area makes it possible to state the presence of several types of economic specialization of animal husbandry and conclude their quantitative ratio in the study area. So in the Middle Dniester, pig breeding prevailed, followed by sheep breeding and raising cattle (the first type of animal husbandry). On the left bank of the Prut River, with its turf-podzolic loams, preference was given to the breeding of big cattle — small ruminants — pigs (the second species). The third species is presented in the following sequence: cattle — pig breeding — sheep breeding. Hunting products played an important role in the diet of the local population. The species composition of wild game animals, hunting methods, and tools used in this process are analyzed. The study showed a fairly high level of development of animal husbandry and hunting among the local population.

Prawna ochrona zwierząt łownych a instrumenty zwalczania afrykańskiego pomoru świń

Due to the occurrence of the second genotype of African Swine Fever (ASF) virus in Europe, the situation today causes a threat to the species through the use of sanitary shooting of wild boars in the areas of disease occurrence, and as a consequence their depopulation. The purpose of the study is to assess EU and Polish legal regulations relating to the protection, preservation of diversity and management of wild game populations and combating of infectious animal diseases, which are subject to the obligation to combat. The researchers’ question in this paper concerns the mutual relations of these legal regulations and legal instruments for the valuable protection of the biosphere in hunting in connection with the occurrence of the disease. The subject of careful analysis was the search for manifestations of the implementation of the legal protection of wild game as a nationwide good, particularly relating to one category of wild game – wild boars, in a situation of epizootic danger.

Hunting and raising livestock are associated with meat-related attitudes, norms and frequent consumption: implications for dietary guidance to rural residents

PurposeMeat consumption is higher than health recommendations, but little is known about potential moderating factors in rural areas. Informed by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), this paper explored potential moderators amongst rural residents.Design/methodology/approach The authors summarized meat-related attitudes (importance, taste preference, healthfulness perceptions), social norms, controls (availability, affordability, self-efficacy) and frequency of consumption (overall, lean meat, wild game) in a cross-sectional survey of rural, adult, US volunteers (n = 572). The authors examined correlations and differences by gender, connection to hunting and to livestock raising.Findings These rural residents had positive attitudes toward meat, high family expectations to consume meat and daily consumption. Half of the meat consumed was lean but was infrequently wild game. Respondents with connections to hunting or raising livestock reported more positive meat-related attitudes, norms and self-efficacy, and more frequent meat consumption. Those with a connection to hunting also had higher perceived availability, affordability and consumption of wild game.Research limitations/implications Strong meat preferences and expectations may hamper moderation amongst rural residents, particularly in households connected to hunting or raising livestock. Dietary advice can be tailored to respect meat consumption, emphasize the identification and selection of lean meats and highlight wild game as a lean meat that is moderately available and affordable. Future research should disentangle hunting and livestock raising as potential factors in food choice and examine wild game consumption in jurisdictions where it can be sold legally.Originality/value This study was novel in examining meat-related practices amongst rural residents, separately examining lean meats and wild game, and identifying hunting and livestock raising as important predictors.

Diet and dog characteristics affect major and trace elements in hair and blood of healthy dogs

Obtaining correct amounts of essential elements, and avoiding toxic metals are key factors in dog health. Through analyzing major and trace elements in hair and blood of 50 healthy companion dogs using ICP-MS, we study their associations with dog characteristics and diet, hypothesizing that eating the same diet long-term results in strong correlations between hair and blood element concentrations, and that dog characteristics and diet affect element status. The correlation between hair and blood was significant for Hg (R = 0.601, p = 0.000) and Pb (R = 0.384, p = 0.010). The following associations were significant (p < 0.05): Dark hair had higher Ca and Mg compared to light hair. Females had higher hair Zn, blood Mn, and blood As compared to males. Blood Mn and Se increased, while blood Pb decreased with age. Raw diet fed dogs had higher hair Zn and Se compared to dry or mixed diet fed dogs, and lower blood Mn compared to dry diet fed dogs. Dry and mixed diet fed dogs had higher blood Cd compared to raw diet fed dogs. Mixed diet fed dogs had higher hair Ca and Mg compared to raw or dry diet fed dogs, and higher hair Pb compared to dry diet fed dogs. Wild game consumption was associated with higher blood Pb, and rice consumption with higher blood As. In conclusion, hair provides an alternative for assessing Hg and Pb exposure, and major and trace elements status is affected by hair color, sex, age, and diet.

Clinical Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis via Histopathological and Antibody Examination of Five Immunocompetent Patients at Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, 2008 to 2015

Congenital toxoplasmosis, commonly known as TORCH, is a well-known syndrome, but even experienced obstetricians rarely encounter it. In Japan, there is good overall hygiene and raw or wild game meats are not eaten; therefore, the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection and the antibody positivity rates have been low. This low prevalence rate also relates to the fact that Toxoplasma gondii infections are rarely observed in immunocompetent hosts. Exploration of the cases in which pathological examinations were performed at our hospital (Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital) revealed that acquired Toxoplasma infections were apparent in five immunocompetent patients over an 8-year period. The number of infections was unexpectedly high. The number of 5 cases was the highest in literature review to the extent that we could know. To prevent congenital toxoplasmosis, which manifests as intracranial calcifications, hydrocephalus, and chorioretinitis in severe cases, pregnant women and their doctors require proper knowledge about the risk factors and danger of this infection. We believe that from the viewpoint of cost performance relationship, it is appropriate to bear the test fee of about 50 USD for Toxoplasma IgG and IgM check for the test of congenital toxoplasmosis, if patients desired.

Humans and animals in the Postclassic Cuchumatanes: the archaeological fauna from Chiantla Viejo (Huehuetenango, Guatemala)

Recent excavations at the highland site of Chiantla Viejo (Huehuetenango De- partment, Guatemala) were conducted to refine the site stratigraphy and understand population movements during the late Postclassic and early Contact era (AD 1250-1550). Excavations re- covered animal remains from these transitional contexts. This analysis represents one of the first zooarchaeological studies of a faunal assemblage in the Guatemalan highlands at the end of the pre-Hispanic period and into Spanish contact. The results highlight the changes and also the continuities experienced by the residents of this region during the early Colonial period: the persistence of long-distance exchange networks, the continuation of wild game hunting, and the early introduction of Eurasian domesticates.

Identification of Differences in Hunting Management in Poland and Selected European Countries in the Context of Sustainable Development

The purpose of this article was to identify significant differences in the hunting management process in Poland and selected European countries in the context of their impact on the preservation of biodiversity and the implementation of the idea of sustainable development. The goal was achieved through the analysis of hunting management in selected European countries through the prism of the assumptions made by Aldo Leopold in 1933. Based on the analysis carried out, it was found that hunting management in relation to Leopold’s postulates has best been undertaken by France. Moreover, the wild game management process should be actively implemented and based on the still up-to-date, universal postulates of Leopold, which can be treated as a model approach.

Enterobacteriaceae and Salmonella contamination of wild boar (Sus scrofa) carcasses: comparison between different sampling strategies

During 2020, a total of 64 wild boar carcasses were tested for Enterobacteriaceae count (EBC), Salmonella and Yersinia enterocolitica in the abdominal region (i) within 5 h after hunting in the game collection point and (ii) before dressing and processing in the game-handling establishment (GHE) (49 carcasses—average time interval between (i) and (ii): 4.3 days). Because of COVID-19 restrictions, 15 carcasses were transported to a near slaughterhouse (average time interval between (i) and (ii): 2.3 days). Mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) were collected and tested for Salmonella and Y. enterocolitica. Results are shown in relation to sampling A (49 carcasses—GHE) and sampling B (15 carcasses—slaughterhouse). Sampling A: EBC median values were (i) 2.51 log10 CFU/cm2 and (ii) 2.79 log10 CFU/cm2. EBC increase between (i) and (ii) was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Salmonella prevalence on carcasses varied from (i) 2.0 to (ii) 6.1%. Sampling B: EBC median values were (i) 3.1 log10 CFU/cm2 and (ii) 3.32 log10 CFU/cm2. EBC increase between (i) and (ii) was not statistically significant (p = 0.191). Salmonella prevalence on carcasses varied from (i) 6.7 to (ii) 0.0%. The prevalence (sampling A + B) of lymphatic Salmonella carriers was 7.8% (5/64). From carcasses and/or MNLs, the serovars Enteritidis, Typhimurium, Agama, Zaiman and Diarizonae O:50 (z) were detected. Y. enterocolitica was never isolated. Long chilling periods prior to wild game processing should be avoided, and carcasses should be tested at GHE rather than after shooting to proper reflect the microbial load of wild boar meat entering the food chain.