Decline of peccaries in a protected subtropical forest of Brazil: toward conservation issues

Azevedo, Fernando César Cascelli de; Conforti, Valéria Amorim

doi:10.1515/mamm.2008.027

Cited by 27 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Illegal hunting is widespread in the AF and is responsible for the frequent poaching of jaguars2032 and the depletion of their prey base33343536. Jaguar killing in the AF is frequent, mainly by poachers that consider the species a trophy or by cattle ranchers that eliminate individuals as retaliation for livestock losses203237.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A biodiversity hotspot losing its top predator: The challenge of jaguar conservation in the Atlantic Forest of South America

Paviolo

Angelo

Ferraz

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

128

136

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The jaguar is the top predator of the Atlantic Forest (AF), which is a highly threatened biodiversity hotspot that occurs in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. By combining data sets from 14 research groups across the region, we determine the population status of the jaguar and propose a spatial prioritization for conservation actions. About 85% of the jaguar’s habitat in the AF has been lost and only 7% remains in good condition. Jaguars persist in around 2.8% of the region, and live in very low densities in most of the areas. The population of jaguars in the AF is probably lower than 300 individuals scattered in small sub-populations. We identified seven Jaguar Conservation Units (JCUs) and seven potential JCUs, and only three of these areas may have ≥50 individuals. A connectivity analysis shows that most of the JCUs are isolated. Habitat loss and fragmentation were the major causes for jaguar decline, but human induced mortality is the main threat for the remaining population. We classified areas according to their contribution to jaguar conservation and we recommend management actions for each of them. The methodology in this study could be used for conservation planning of other carnivore species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A biodiversity hotspot losing its top predator: The challenge of jaguar conservation in the Atlantic Forest of South America

Paviolo

Angelo

Ferraz

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

128

136

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Peccaries have previously been identified as a preferred food source for jaguars (Aranda, 1994;Mendes Pontes and Chivers 2007;Azevedo and Conforti 2008). Their large size and high densities in Neotropical ecosystems make them suitable main prey candidates.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, the level of exploitation is of special concern for peccary conservation, especially when we consider peccaries are threatened or have disappeared over a large portion of their original range (Altrichter et al 2012;Canale et al 2012). This is so even inside conservation areas that are important for continued jaguar survival (SalomPérez et al 2007;Azevedo and Conforti 2008;Paviolo et al 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reptiles as principal prey? Adaptations for durophagy and prey selection by jaguar (Panthera onca)

Miranda

Menezes

Rheingantz

2016

Journal of Natural History

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We examined the evidence supporting the hypothesis that jaguars (Panthera onca) have morphological and behavioural adaptations to facilitate reptile predation. Jaguars' head and bite features show adaptations to durophagy (consumption of hard-integumented prey) that are very unusual within the genus Panthera. These include: thick canines, well-developed head muscles and a fatal bite directed to braincase or nape. These characteristics have been previously considered an adaptation for the consumption of reptilian prey, whose thick integument poses a challenge to predation. Although causation of any trait as result of natural selection is hard to demonstrate with ecological evidence, its consequences can be suggested and predictions made. Here, through a review of the literature on jaguar predatory habits, we tallied the evidence for saurophagy against environmental characteristics correlated with jaguar predation on reptiles. We offer a new explanation for the presence of those traits, based on the selection patterns, prey abundances and main predation habits over the geographic range of the jaguar. We believe that these features allow jaguars to overcome dangerous and/or armoured prey by dispatching them rapidly through a bite to the head or nape. Reptile consumption is restricted to areas of high reptile abundance while dangerous or armoured prey is consistently preyed upon throughout the jaguar's distribution, and selected even when their abundance is low. This questions the validity of the saurophagy hypothesis. We believe that these results are relevant to jaguar conservation and management, because some of the main prey species are severely threatened over their range, and because threatened reptiles are also consumed as prey. ARTICLE HISTORY

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“…This foraging pattern makes this species highly vulnerable to impacts from anthropogenic activities that occur at the same landscape scale as the foraging scale of the animals (Fragoso 1999), such as extensive agriculture and livestock production. Indeed, reports of population decline and local extinction of this species in areas of agricultural use are not uncommon (Peres 1996a(Peres , 2001Cullen et al 2000, Azevedo & Conforti 2008, Keuroghlian et al 2013.…”

Section: Ecological Considerations Of Species' Dietsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feeding Ecology of Five Neotropical Ungulates: A Critical Review

Prado

2013

Oecol. Austr.

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In addition to shedding light on underlying ecological processes, studies about animal diets are useful for guiding the design of species conservation projects. This study presents general characterizations of the diets of five neotropical ungulates, the lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris), the red brocket deer (Mazama americana), the grey brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira), the collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) and the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari). In addition, a critical review of methodological procedures used in this field of ecology is presented. A number of methodological limitations were identified in this review, which may help guide future research in this field. The predominant types of studies reviewed focused on analyses of fecal matter and stomach contents. Direct observation of foraging, while difficult to implement, has revealed interactions among ungulates and other mammals that are otherwise difficult to observe. The general foraging patterns of various species and the main ecological roles of the species in the various environments where they occur were also observed. A list of plant species and families is also presented here to aid researchers and conservation practitioners in accessing resources about the main items in the ungulate diets discussed in this study. Key words: Fauna; Diet; Methods; Foraging Patterns; Large Mammals. RESUMOAlém de revelar processos ecológicos subjacentes, estudos sobre a dieta de espécies da fauna também geram informações úteis para o delineamento de projetos visando a conservação das mesmas. Esta revisão apresenta uma caracterização geral da dieta de cinco ungulados neotropicais, a anta (Tapirus terrestris), o veado mateiro (Mazama americana), o veado catingueiro (Mazama gouazoubira), o cateto (Pecari tajacu), e o queixada (Tayassu pecari), juntamente com uma avaliação crítica dos procedimentos metodológicos que têm sido adotados nesse campo do conhecimento ecológico. Algumas limitações metodológicas foram identificadas, o que pode servir de base de reflexão para pesquisas futuras nessa área. As análises do conteúdo fecal e estomacal predominaram entre os estudos. Já o método de observação direta do forrageio, apesar da sua difícil aplicação, foi ímpar ao revelar interações entre ungulados e outros mamíferos ainda pouco conhecidas da Ciência. Padrões gerais no forrageio das espécies também foram evidenciados, assim como os principais papéis ecológicos que as mesmas podem desempenhar nos diferentes contextos ambientais em que ocorrem. Uma lista de espécies e famílias botânicas também é apresentada, e visa facilitar o acesso de pesquisadores e de ambientalistas aos recursos que até o momento são tidos como os principais itens da dieta desses animais.

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Decline of peccaries in a protected subtropical forest of Brazil: toward conservation issues

Cited by 27 publications

References 32 publications

A biodiversity hotspot losing its top predator: The challenge of jaguar conservation in the Atlantic Forest of South America

A biodiversity hotspot losing its top predator: The challenge of jaguar conservation in the Atlantic Forest of South America

Reptiles as principal prey? Adaptations for durophagy and prey selection by jaguar (Panthera onca)

Feeding Ecology of Five Neotropical Ungulates: A Critical Review

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