Habitat loss and fragmentation are the main threats to the conservation of Cerrado biodiversity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implications of habitat loss on the persistence of medium and large mammal species, considering the spatial and temporal changes (years 1985, 2000 and 2014) to the evaluated fragments. The study was carried out in 14 fragments (10.5 - 618 ha), located in Southeastern Goiás, Brazil. Records for 24 mammal species were obtained and revealed the two sites with the largest habitat amount in the landscape contained higher species richness than the remaining sites. The three mammal groups based on body mass (weight < 5 kg; weight between 5 and 20 kg; and weight > 20 kg) analyzed in this study showed different responses regarding landscape changes. For larger mammals (between 5 - 20 kg and > 20 kg), there was significant association between current species richness and the amount of habitat in 2014, while the species richness of smaller mammals did not significantly correlate with any of the variables assessed for any of the years. Therefore, the amount of habitat present within the current landscape was the most important variable regarding mammal species richness, especially for the larger species. The time lag was not evident at the time scale evaluated, and this delay in response may have occurred in a relatively short time (< 15 years). For the remaining fragments in the studied landscapes, most are too small to support populations of some larger mammal species and may also leave individuals more vulnerable to anthropogenic actions (e.g. hunting), whose effects may accelerate local extinctions.

Bush dog (Speothos venaticus) is an endangered wild canid, about which there are still several gaps of knowledge. The species has large home range and can live in environments altered by human activities but requires native habitats. Bush dogs are classified as “endangered” in the Cerrado biome, and the main threats are habitat loss, contraction of diseases from domestic animals and killing by dogs and humans. To contribute with data on the species, we report an unexpected and unprecedented encounter with five bush dogs in a peri-urban reserve, an environment that lies between activities of the Kinross mining company and a residential neighborhood of Paracatu-MG, Brazil, in July 2021. At the time, the animals were seen while marking territory with urine and fecal mucus on a trail widely used by humans and domestic dogs. This is an important and relevant record because, in addition to being unprecedented, as it occurred in a peri-urban environment, it demonstrates the importance of conservation and protection of local areas of native vegetation in the Cerrado biome. Speothos venaticus still needs to be further studied, and effective measures to protect the species, such as population control and health care actions targeting domestic dogs are urgent.

Conteúdo disponível em: https://www.ifgoiano.edu.br/periodicos/ Multi-Science Journal W e b s i t e d o p e r i ó d i c o : h t t p s : / / w w w. i f g o i a n o. e d u. b r / p e r i o d i c o s / i n d e x. p h p / m u l t i s c i e n c e Artigo Original

A elevada riqueza de espécies de mamíferos do Brasil o colocam em destaque no cenário mundial. Entretanto, em função de inúmeras ameaças à mastofauna, sobretudo no bioma Cerrado, os levantamentos de fauna são essenciais para obter informações sobre a ocorrência localizada das espécies e subsidiar estratégias conservacionistas. Dessa forma, o presente estudo teve por objetivo realizar um levantamento rápido de espécies de mamíferos de médio e grande porte em um fragmento florestal não inventariado no Cerrado do sudeste goiano, no município de Ipameri-GO. A ocorrência das espécies foi registrada por meio de observações diretas dos animais, observações indiretas, armadilhamento fotográfico e entrevista com moradores da área. Foram registradas 19 espécies de mamíferos de médio e grande porte, das quais 5 fazem parte das listas nacional de fauna ameaçada de extinção, pelo MMA ou pela IUCN. A riqueza encontrada é considerada elevada, em função do esforço amostral realizado, e indica a necessidade de adoção de medidas conservacionistas para fragmentos florestais do Cerrado e para as espécies amostradas, sobretudo às consideradas como ameaçadas de extinção.