Protected areas (PAs) are considered the cornerstone of biodiversity conservation (Chape et al., 2005), according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), are defined as “A clearly defined geographical space, recognized, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values”(Dudley, 2008). The IUCN set the first ‘target for protection, by agreeing at the 1992 World Parks Congress in Caracas, Venezuela
