Ecological consequences of hunting in Atlantic forest patches, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

This paper evaluates the ecological consequences of hunting by comparing mammalian densities, biomass, relative energy consumption and community structure between sites with different levels of hunting pressure. Hunting is carried out mainly by colonists who farm on the edge of Atlantic forest fragments in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Mammals were studied over a period of 18 months, along 2287 km of line transects. Transects were distributed among two protected sites, one slightly hunted site and two heavily hunted sites. Tapirs, the two peccary species, brocket deer, armadillos and agoutis are preferred by hunters in the region. Primates are not hunted in the region. Hunting has affected community structure, with ungulates domin-ating mammalian biomass at protected sites and primates dominating at hunted sites. This has caused an ecological inversion in the hunted areas of the Atlantic forests. In Amazonian regions of the Neotropics hunting is more evenly distributed among primates, large rodents, and ungulates and has resulted in an opposite inversion, with hunted sites having lower primate biomass. Atlantic forests are very susceptible to the possible ecological imbalances induced by hunting by humans, and this must be considered for management and conservation programmes.

Medium and large-sized mammals of the Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçú, Cachoeiras de Macacu, RJ

“…Among them are Pecari tajacu, Cuniculus paca and L. pardalis that are classified as vulnerable in the state and national red lists (Table 1). The first two are game species (Peres 1996, Cullen et al 2001) that can maintain viable populations in the area due to the protection actions carried out by the owners and their employees.…”

“…Actually, the forest cover only 19.6% of the state area (Fundaçã o SOS Mata Atlâ ntica & INPE 2011) in a fragmented distribution (Ribeiro et al 2009), contributing to biodiversity loss through the reduction of suitable areas to mammal persistence, especially for the larger species (Cardillo & Bromhan 2001, Kinnaird et al 2003, Ewers & Didham 2006. Besides that, fragmentation facilitates the access of hunters (Peres 2000), increasing the negative pressures over the populations of these animals (Chiarello 2000, Cullen et al 2001. In this scenario, large (.…”

“…Cullen et al 2005, Soisalo & Cavalcanti 2006, their large area requirements (Sanderson et al 2002b, Cullen et al 2005 and also because they are preferential targets to hunters (Redford 1992, Peres 1996, Cullen et al 2001, Travassos 2011. These factors has conducted to the loss of these animals in tropical forests, promoting profound transformations in forest dynamics and threaten the maintenance of these ecosystems (Stoner et al 2007, Jorge et al 2013, Kurten 2013, Harrison et al 2013).…”

Persistência de mamíferos de médio e grande porte em fragmentos de floresta ombrófila mista no estado do Paraná, Brasil

“…A caça, outra atividade favorecida pela fragmentação e constatada neste estudo, tende a causar impactos, sobretudo nas espécies animais de maior porte (CULLEN-JR. et al, 2000;CULLEN-JR. et al, 2001;PERES, 2001). Algumas espécies cinegéticas foram registradas, como é o caso de veados (Mazama sp), cutia (Dasyprocta azarae) e paca (Cuniculus paca), porém outras espécies cuja presença seria esperada na região, como a anta (Tapirus terrestris) e o queixada (Tayassu pecari), não foram registradas.…”

“…Em situações de fragmentação dos ambientes naturais, mamíferos de médio e grande porte tendem a enfrentar um problema adicional, que é a forte pressão da caça ilegal, favorecida em áreas restritas como fragmentos (CHIARELLO, 1999;CULLEN-JR. et al, 2000;CULLEN-JR. et al, 2001;PERES, 2001;ROCHA-MENDES et al, 2005). Assim, a sobrevivência dessas espécies, que são preferidas pelos caçadores, torna-se ainda mais ameaçada.…”