Wildlife Diversity and Relative Abundance among a Variety of Adjacent Protected Areas in the Northern Talamanca Mountains of Costa Rica (original) (raw)
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Monitoring Mammal Populations in Costa Rican Protected Areas under Different Hunting Restrictions
It is necessary to assess whether the management of protected areas is achieving the objectives set for them. In particular, changes and trends in wildlife populations should be documented. We compared the 1990 abundance of mammals in two Costa Rican protected areas, Corcovado National Park (CNP) and Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve (GDFR), with similar environmental characteristics but different hunting restrictions and levels of protection. We also monitored the abundance of mammals in CNP over a 4-year period. We also devised an inexpensive method of monitoring tropical rainforest mammal populations in a timely and efficient manner. The method is based on the use of mammal track records and arboreal mammal sightings and requires little effort. With this method 20 mammal species were recorded at CNP and 15 at GDFR. Species were consistently less abundant in GDFR than in CNP, principally those species preferred by hunters. Species were grouped according to whether or not they are used as food and whether they are locally or globally threatened or not threatened. The abundance of all these groups of species in GDFR was 6–28% the abundance in CNP. During 1990–1994, overall mammal abundance in CNP remained relatively stable, but there was considerable variability among species. As a group, both species used for food and globally threatened species declined in abundance during that period in CNP. The abundance of all groups of species declined from 1992 to 1994, coinciding with a reduction in hunting vigilance at CNP. Evidence suggests that the main factor differentiating the abundance of mammals in the two protected areas, and at CNP during the study period, was the level of hunting. Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve seems to be achieving only partial success in protecting wildlife, whereas Corcovado National Park seems to be considerably more effective, although not entirely successful. Monitoreo de Poblaciones de Mamíferos en Áreas Protegidas de Costa Rica con Diferentes Restricciones de Cacería Resumen: Es necesario evaluar si el manejo de áreas protegidas está cumpliendo con sus objetivos estableci-dos. En particular, se deben documentar los cambios y tendencias de las poblaciones de vida silvestre. En este estudio comparamos la abundancia de los mamíferos durante 1990 en dos áreas protegidas de Costa Rica con características ambientales semejantes, pero con diferentes restricciones en cuanto a la cacería y difer-entes niveles de protección: el Parque Nacional Corcovado (PNC) y la Reserva Forestal Golfo Dulce (RFGD). También comparamos la abundancia de los mamíferos en el PNC durante un periodo de cuatro años (1990-1994). Además desarrollamos un método barato, basado en el registro de huellas de mamíferos y en avista-mientos de mamíferos arborícolas. Este método requiere de poco esfuerzo y se puede usar para dar seguimiento a las poblaciones de mamíferos selváticos de manera rápida y eficiente. Con este método registramos la abun-dancia de 20 especies en el PNC y de 15 en la RFGD. Todas las especies fueron consistentemente menos abundan-tes en la RFGD que en el PNC, principalmente aquéllas preferidas por los cazadores. Agrupamos las especies según su uso o no como alimento y según si se consideran amenazadas o no, a nivel local o mundial. La
Costa Rica has one of the greatest percentages (26%) of protected land in the world. The National Protected Areas System (NPAS) of Costa Rica was established in 1976 and currently includes >190 protected areas within seven different protection categories. The effectiveness of the NPAS to represent species, populations, and areas with high species richness has not been properly evaluated. Such evaluations are fundamental to understand what is necessary to strengthen the NPAS and better protect biodiversity. We present a novel assessment of NPAS effectiveness in protecting mammal species. We compiled the geographical ranges of all terrestrial Costa Rican mammals then determined species lists for all protected areas and the estimated proportion of each species’ geographic range protected. We also classified mammal species according to their conservation status using the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. We found almost complete representation of mammal species (98.5%) in protected areas, but low relative coverage (28.3% on average) of their geographic ranges in Costa Rica and 25% of the species were classified as underprotected according to a priori representation targets. Interestingly, many species-rich areas are not protected, and at least 43% of cells covering the entire country are not included in protected areas. Though protected areas in Costa Rica represent species richness well, strategic planning for future protected areas to improve species complementarity and range protection is necessary. Our results can help to define sites where new protected areas can have a greater impact on mammal conservation, both in terms of species richness and range protection.
Relatively little information has been generated regarding the mammal diversity of Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica. This study assessed relative abundance and activity patterns of some terrestrial mammalian species. We used ten camera traps distributed within the refuge, during 2014. After a total of 1 611 camera trap nights, we identified 15 mammalian species in seven orders and 11 families. The most abundant species were Dasyprocta punctata, Leopardus pardalis, Tayassu pecari, Mazama temama, Pecari tajacu and Tapirus bairdii, while Tamandua mexicana was characterized by its lower abundance. Activity patterns were estimated for eight species, all of which were similar with those previously described in the literature. Further monitoring is required in the refuge in order to increase our understanding of its diversity, information that will be essential for the proper management of the area. RESUMEN: Abundancia relativa y patrones de actividad de las especies de mamíferos terrestres en el Refugio Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Barra del Colorado, Costa Rica. Poca información ha sido generada sobre la biodiversidad del Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Barra del Colorado, Costa Rica. En el presente estudio determinamos la abundancia relativa y el patrón de actividad de ciertas especies de mamíferos terrestres. Durante el periodo 2014 se empleamos diez cámaras trampa, las cuales fueron distribuidas dentro del refugio. Después de un total de 1 611 noches de muestreo, se identificaron 15 especies de mamíferos distribuidos en siete órdenes y 11 familias. Las especies más abundantes fueron Dasyprocta punctata, Leopardus pardalis, Tayassu pecari, Mazama temama, Pecari tajacu y Tapirus bairdii, mientras que Tamandua mexicana reportó la menor abundancia. Se estimaron los patrones de actividad para ocho especies, los cuales fueron similares a lo previamente descrito en la literatura. Estudios adicionales son necesarios con el fin de incrementar nuestro conocimiento sobre la biodiversidad del refugio, información que será esencial para el adecuado manejo del área.
A B S T R A C T Protected areas – widely recognized as the main strategy for biodiversity conservation – have greatly expanded, covering ∼15% of the Earth; however, we still lack detailed information on biodiversity to evaluate their effectiveness. This is particularly urgent for biodiversity hotspots where protected areas are islands within human modified landscapes. We focus on mammals of the Iguaçu National Park – one of the most important parks in the Atlantic Forest hotspot – to evaluate the effectiveness of protected areas in conserving biodiversity. We monitored 300 km 2 with 37 cameras traps during five years to assess if (1) species occupancy declined over time, and (2) if species occupancy/detectability are spatially associated with illegal hunting, proximity to tourism infrastructure and distance from the edge, estimating the proportion of the park where these negative effects are detected. Many species that are rare in most Atlantic Forest remnants presented high occupancy within the park, and no decline in occupancy was observed over time. However, the distribution of 11 species was spatially associated primarily with the distance from the edge and proximity to tourism infrastructure, resulting in a decline, across half of the park area, from 13 to 23% in occupancy and from 19 to 35% in detectability (values averaged among species). These negative effects should be even stronger on smaller protected areas, which are the majority in highly altered hotspots. Re-establishing and properly managing buffer zones and restricting tourism to localized areas are essential to ensure the effectiveness of protected areas for biodiversity conservation .
Large mammal community composition and density under a disturbance gradient in Northeast Costa Rica
Large mammal communities, integral components of Neotropical ecosystems, are increasingly threatened by habitat fragmentation and degradation due to anthropogenic pressures and climate change. Lowland Neotropical palm forests harbor diverse mammal communities, including threatened and endangered species. We monitored three transects in the Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge in Northeast Costa Rica from February 2014 until April 2015 documenting large terrestrial mammal and primate detections. Following established large mammal survey methodology, each transect was walked weekly alternating between early morning and late afternoon to maximize detection. The three transects represent three levels of anthropogenic disturbance with highest disturbance at the Cerro, followed by Caño Palma Biological Station (CPBS), and lowest levels in Tortuguero National Park (TNP). Overall we found higher diversity and increased presence of endangered species in TNP and the lowest diversity and lower presence of those species in the Cerro. Overall we detected 25 species; 19 at the Cerro, 22 in TNP and 23 at CPBS. TNP had the highest diversity as calculated by Simpson index (28.3) followed by CBPS (27.9), and the Cerro had the lowest diversity of mammals (2.27). The most influential species driving the differences of communities between the three transects included the white-lipped and collared peccaries, which were both present in higher densities in transects with lower disturbance and higher levels of protection, and domestic dogs which were present in higher densities at the Cerro. This study has documented baseline densities of large mammal communities in the wildlife refuge which can be used as preliminary data for future comparisons. As development is continuing in the region, including construction of a tourist trail at the Cerro, a continued monitoring is recommended to understand the effect of development on mammal communities. Rev. Biol. Trop. 64 (4): 1553-1564. Epub 2016 December 01.
Medium and large-sized mammals in a premontane moist forest fragment, Atenas, Costa Rica
Revista de Biología Tropical
Introduction: Medium and large-sized mammals are threatened globally due to habitat loss and fragmentation. In Costa Rica, forest fragments that remain outside protected areas may serve as a refuge or corridor for these animals. Mammal presence in fragmented landscapes may be influenced by resource availability, which varies greatly in seasonal regions. Objective: To determine the species richness of medium and large-sized mammals in a forest fragment, and to examine if species diversity and detectability varied between the wet and dry season. Methods: We established 26 camera trap stations throughout the Municipal Forest of Atenas (Alajuela, Costa Rica), a 26.4 ha forest fragment that provides water to about 1 800 people. From August 2021 to April 2022, one camera trap was active at each station for 12-21 days throughout each season (dry and wet), for a total of 810 camera trap days. We applied rarefaction and extrapolation curves to characterize mammal’s species diversity and comp...
Monitoring mammals in a protected area of Colombia (GJIMENEZ ET AL 2017).pdf
Universitas Scientiarum, 2017
Between the second semester of 2009 and the first semester of 2011, camera traps were set up in conserved and disturbed habitats in the Otún Quimbaya Flora and Fauna Sanctuary. From a sampling effort of 2,066 camera-days, 673 photographs of 157 independent events were obtained for eight species of wild mammals and a domestic one. Their activity patterns were mainly nocturnal even for those species reported as diurnal. The impact of human interference and exotic species was evident for two species: Tapirus pinchaque and Cerdocyon thous. The former was observed below its altitudinal range with activity patterns mainly crepuscular and nocturnal. The second was observed in the same habitats where domestic dogs were found, with activity patterns mainly crepuscular and nocturnal. These findings suggest that both species have altered their activity patterns. Actions must be focused on decreasing the interaction of these mammals with humans and domestic dogs. Keywords: mammal diversity; activity patterns; vegetation cover habitats; camera traps; Otún Quimbaya.
Biota Neotropica
Medium and large mammals are greatly affected by human activities, such as, habitat loss and hunting. In Colombia, these pressures have been most extensive in the dry and Andean forests. However, there is scare information available on the presence or abundance of these organisms for monitoring purposes. This study used photo-trapping cameras to determine the relative abundances of medium and large mammals in a mountain forest in the National Natural Park "Cueva de los Guacharos", Huila (Colombia). Additionally, we examined whether trail use by humans could affect the distribution of these organisms. The cameras were located every 500 meters along the trails in strategic locations. We obtained the relative abundance of 11 species, being medium-sized mammals the most frequent (Cuniculus paca, Dasyprocta punctata and Mazama rufina). We recorded the presence of mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque), dwarf red brocket (Mazama rufina) and oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus), which are found in a high threat category according to the IUCN. Activity patterns were reported for 4 different species including daytime, nocturnal and cathemeral activities. Finally, we concluded that large mammals avoided trails of frequent use, and although the relative abundance of mammals is not very high, this National Park is still supporting relevant biodiversity.
Human-wildlife interactions in a major tourist destination: Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica
Biodiversitas, 2022
This study characterized the interactions between tourists and wildlife in terms of the most common interactions and the species that interact the most. Interactions were observed during 65 sampling days between 2012 and 2020. In each event, the following data were recorded: date, time (hour), site, type of interaction, and species that participated. To characterize the interactions, the effects of the day of the week, the season, the daily period, and the site on the number of daily interactions were evaluated. Also, to understand the more frequent interactions, the effect of species and type of interaction on the number of daily interactions were evaluated. The results indicated more interactions in the dry season, between 10 am and 2 pm, at Manuel Antonio Beach, Costa Rica. Although interactions were recorded for 39 species, white-faced monkey and raccoon were the species with the most interactions. Raccoons had more interactions related to food than the tourists called or approached them; whitefaced monkeys had a similar number of interactions in these categories. Interactions between tourists and wildlife in the Manuel Antonio National Park (PNMA), Costa Rica, coincide with the times and places in the park with the highest concentration of tourists. Therefore, there is evidence of the need to promote tourism with appropriate behavior of observation and respectful appreciation of wildlife, and the use of more sectors of the park is essential to avoid damage to fauna.
Revista Biodiversidad Neotropical, 2018
Objective: To document the hunting problem and, its current state and other threats for the conservation of mammal's species in the Tamá NNP. Methodology: We visited 13 localities during 34 months, in which we assessed the presence of medium and large terrestrial mammals, and through semi-structured interviews using a participatory approach we documented the communities hunting types and uses. We determined the types of hunting, the techniques employed, species used and other existing threats. To evaluate their relationships, we used the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity metrics and a heatmap through the Vegan 2.0. package on R. 3.0.2 software. Results: 21 species were recorded, 86% have hunting pressures. The hunting of subsistence, of tradition, of sport, and by conflict represented the highest percentages in the area with 67.5%, 17.5%, 10%, and 5%. The use of weapons and dogs was the most predominant hunting technique. Species as, D. novemcinctus, M. rufina, N. nasua, N. olivacea, T. ornatus, and P. concolor were of the greater use, either food, furs, trophies, or raw material for the elaboration of instruments and/ or aphrodisiacs. Other treats as the deforestation and pollution which cover the 76 and 69% of the area followed by livestock 61%, arsons (23%) and feral species (8%). Conclusions: The hunting for conflict, the use of permanent traps, the presence of feral species and the burnings are presented in specific areas of the park, affecting mainly large felines and vulnerable species, thus imperative actions are necessary.