Jaguar populations have declined dramatically in the last century. The Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR) within the Selva Maya (SM) is a priority area for jaguar conservation. Influential factors in the jaguar seasonal distribution include the availability of surface water in wetlands such as the “aguadas” and the availability of prey. Aguadas are formed by isolated depressions in the landscape and serve as a water supply for wildlife during dry periods. The goal of this study was to describe the visitation patterns of jaguars to aguadas in a Tropical forest at Dos Lagunas Protected Biotopo, a core zone of the MBR, Guatemala. We used camera-trap data from seven aguadas during the dry seasons 2014-2017. We determined visitation rates (VR, records for 1,000 trap-days) and activity patterns (AP) of jaguars for all years, aguadas, and sexes. We tested for significant differences in AP between sexes, and we estimated the coefficient of overlap (D) for female and male jaguar activity. We recorded 14 individuals (five females, eight males, and one unsexed) in 60 visit events. Jaguars have significant more diurnal activity at aguadas, and showed a VR = 13.1 for 1,000 trap-days. VR varied between aguadas (VR = 9.5 – 19.4), years (VR = 1.9 – 39.2) and sexes (VR = 6.1 for females and 5.5 for males). We did not find significant differences in the AP of female and male jaguars (P > 0.05). The coefficient of overlap between activity of females and males was D = 0.77 (95 % confidence interval: 0.70 to 0.84; P > 0.05). Aguadas may represent regular sites of jaguar home-ranges overlap for the important resources they provide for wildlife during the dry season. Aguadas could play an important role in the conservation and management of jaguar populations since the spatial distribution of these bodies of water is scattered, but ecologically important for jaguars within the MBR and the SM. Aguadas also, are important landscape features that could influence the spatial interactions of individuals. We encourage jaguar researchers to increase investigation on jaguars visiting aguadas and other wetlands in the SM to better understand the jaguar activity patterns and sex-specific habitat requirements.
En el territorio de la Selva Maya se han identificado a los cuerpos de agua estacionales denominados localmente aguadas, como un recurso crítico para la supervivencia de especies de fauna silvestre, ya que son su principal fuente de agua durante la temporada seca. En el presente estudio se registró en cinco aguadas, la dinámica temporal de la acumulación de agua empleando una cámara automática, así como la temperatura y la humedad relativa utilizando sensores automáticos a lo largo de abril a agosto del 2016. En cuanto a la disponibilidad de agua, esta fue disminuyendo hasta agotarse al final de la temporada seca en el mes de abril, y fue aumentando al inicio de la temporada lluviosa en junio. Para la temporada seca se registró una temperatura promedio (desviación estándar) de 27.65 (4.52)ªC y una humedad relativa de 71.30 (19.00)%, mientras que para la temporada lluviosa la temperatura promedio fue de 26.09 (3.21)ªC y humedad relativa promedio de 86.16 (14.15)%. Sin embargo no se encontró una diferencia significativa entre los valores registrados en las "distintas" aguadas. Se encontró una correlación significativa entre los valores registrados en las aguadas con los registrados por la estación meteorológica automática (EMA) Calakmul II, por lo que para estudios futuros es posible utilizar los valores de la EMA para representar la dinámica en las aguadas. Entre las estrategias para reducir los potenciales efectos del cambio climático para la fauna es la conservación de las aguadas manteniendo la conectividad entre las mismas.
La Reserva de la Biosfera Maya (RBM) es un área protegida de relevancia nacional, regional y mundial por la diversidad biológica asociada y los beneficios que se obtienen de esta. En su plan maestro se plantea el conjunto de elementos de conservación a partir de los cuales se orientan estrategias y se evalúa la efectividad de manejo de dicha reserva, entre los cuales se incluye a Tapirella bairdii (tapir), por lo que es importante contar con un monitoreo de esta especie como una herramienta para la administración de esta reserva. En el 2015 se inició el desarrollo de un protocolo de monitoreo basado en la estimación de la probabilidad de ocupación y el presente estudio constituye la continuación de esta iniciativa a través de la implementación de las temporadas de muestreo en 2017 y 2018. Se registró la presencia del tapir en cinco zonas núcleo de la RBM empleando trampas cámara y se estimó la probabilidad de ocupación. Los valores estimados sugieren una relación de la ocupación con la integridad ecológica, en la cual hay una mayor ocupación en áreas con menor perturbación. Se generaron modelos con cinco covariables relacionadas con amenazas potenciales, sin embargo fue el modelo nulo el que se seleccionó de acuerdo al criterio definido. Los resultados sugieren que la integridad ecológica en las áreas de estudio está siendo afectada como consecuencia de las presiones antrópicas por lo que es necesario el fortalecimiento de aquellas con menores valores de ocupación.
The jaguar is the largest terrestrial carnivore in America. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, its conservation status is "Near Threatened" in its distribution range. In Guatemala, the jaguar is mainly distributed in the Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR). In the years 2016 and 2018, camera-trapping studies were conducted in the San Miguel La Palotada-El Zotz Protected Biotopo (BPSMPZ) and in Yaxhá Nakum Naranjo National Park (PNYNN), respectively; both core zones of the MBR. Eight camera-trap stations were installed in BPSMPZ and 5 in PNYNN during the dry season, with at least 90 trap-days/nights in each site. In BPSMPZ, one adult jaguar of undetermined sex was recorded in one of the eight sampling stations installed; in PNYNN, there were 22 records (independent events) of at least 6 adult individuals (1 female, 3 males, 2 of undetermined sex) in three of the five sampling stations installed. This work reports important records on the presence of jaguars in core zones currently under pressure from human activities conducted within the southern limits of the MBR. Maintaining the integrity of these two areas is imperative to preserve this species in the MBR.
Despite the abundant literature on the Jaguar Panthera onca, several aspects of its natural history and ecology such as longevity and residency of wild individuals are still little studied and poorly known. We conducted a camera trapping study in Tikal National Park, Guatemala, during the dry season and early rainy season from April to July 2018. We compared our results with results of previous studies and thereby came across a presumably female adult individual that was recorded in 2009 and again during our survey. We therefore assume that this virtual female is a potential long-term resident Jaguar in this core zone of the Selva Maya, one of the largest and well-conserved forests in the Neotropics and a priority area for the conservation of this species. We recommend implementing systematic and long-termed studies in Guatemala as a tool for the evaluation and management of the species, and to monitor the effectiveness of protected and priority areas in order to ensure the conservation of the Jaguar.
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