Effectiveness of Protected Areas for Representing Species and Populations of Terrestrial Mammals in Costa Rica

Based on species occurrence records of museum collections, published literature, and unpublished records shared by mammalian experts, we compiled a distribution database for 59 terrestrial mammals populating the extensively protected Dobrogea Region of Romania. The spatial patterns of mammal distribution and diversity was evaluated and systematic conservation planning applied to identify priority areas for their conservation. The spatial analyses revealed that intensive sampling was not directly correlated to mammal diversity but rather to accessibility for inventory. The spatial prioritisation analysis indicated a relatively aggregated pattern of areas with a high or low conservation value with virtually no connecting corridors between them. The significant overlap between Natura 2000 sites and national protected areas induced an over-optimistic vision of the effectiveness and representativeness of existing Natura 2000 network for species found in Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive. These results represent a key step in identifying core areas for the protection of mammal diversity and dispersal corridors for improved connectivity, and to guide future conservation efforts in increasing the effectiveness of the existing protected areas in the context of environmental changes.

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Relative abundance and activity patterns of terrestrial mammals in Pacuare Nature Reserve, Costa Rica

UNED Research Journal ◽

10.22458/urj.v9i1.1673 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 15-21

Author(s):

Stephanny Arroyo-Arce ◽

Ian Thomson ◽

Carlos Fernandez ◽

Roberto Salom-Perez

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Nature Reserve ◽

Mammalian Species ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Camera Trap ◽

Central American ◽

Leopardus Pardalis ◽

Terrestrial Mammals ◽

History Of

Located in Costa Rica, Pacuare Nature Reserve has a long established history of wildlife monitoring programs primarily focused on species of nesting marine turtles and the Agami herons (Agamia agami) found within the reserve. Our research represents the first assessment on the local terrestrial mammal populations. Data was collected by using seven camera trap stations distributed within the boundaries of the reserve. From April 2015 to March 2016, and after a total of 1 643 camera trap nights, we were able to identify 11 terrestrial mammalian species distributed in six orders and nine families. The most abundant species was the common opossum (Didelphis marsupialis), followed by the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis). A noticeably absent species, otherwise common throughout the area, was the Central American agouti (Dasyprocta punctata). Our results are similar to those from other protected areas in the Northeastern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.

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Protected areas and economic welfare: an impact evaluation of national parks on local workers' wages in Costa Rica

Environment and Development Economics ◽

10.1017/s1355770x14000461 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 283-310 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Juan Robalino ◽

Laura Villalobos

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Protected Areas ◽

National Parks ◽

Impact Evaluation ◽

Individual Level ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Level Data ◽

Pre Treatment ◽

Matching Techniques ◽

Robust Evidence

AbstractThe number of protected areas around the world has significantly increased. However, the effects of this policy on the wellbeing of local households are still under debate. Using pre-treatment characteristics and household surveys with highly disaggregated geographic reference, we explore how national parks affect the wages of local workers in Costa Rica. We use matching techniques to control for the endogenous location of parks. We find that parks' effects on wages are, on average, positive and significant, but the magnitudes vary. Wages close to parks are higher for local workers living near tourist entrances. However, there is no robust evidence of positive effects for those close to parks but far away from tourist entrances. With our individual-level data, we also show that the positive effects on local households might not be as large as suggested by previous studies that use aggregated level data containing both local and immigrant households.

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Optimizing enforcement and compliance in offshore marine protected areas: a case study from Cocos Island, Costa Rica

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605314000337 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 18-26 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Adrian Arias ◽

Robert L. Pressey ◽

Rhondda E. Jones ◽

Jorge G. Álvarez-Romero ◽

Joshua E. Cinner

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Marine Protected Areas ◽

Temporal Distribution ◽

Peer Pressure ◽

World Heritage Site ◽

Illegal Fishing ◽

Space And Time ◽

Cocos Island

AbstractIllegal exploitation of resources is a cause of environmental degradation worldwide. The effectiveness of conservation initiatives such as marine protected areas relies on users' compliance with regulations. Although compliance can be motivated by social norms (e.g. peer pressure and legitimacy), some enforcement is commonly necessary. Enforcement is expensive, particularly in areas far from land, but costs can be reduced by optimizing enforcement. We present a case study of how enforcement could be optimized at Cocos Island National Park, Costa Rica, an offshore protected area and World Heritage Site. By analysing patrol records we determined the spatial and temporal distribution of illegal fishing and its relationship to patrol effort. Illegal fishing was concentrated on a seamount within the Park and peaked during the third year-quarter, probably as a result of oceanographic conditions. The lunar cycle in conjunction with the time of year significantly influenced the occurrence of incursions. The predictability of illegal fishing in space and time facilitates the optimization of patrol effort. Repeat offenders are common in the Park and we suggest that unenforced regulations and weak governance are partly to blame. We provide recommendations for efficient distribution of patrol effort in space and time, establishing adequate governance and policy, and designing marine protected areas to improve compliance. Our methods and recommendations are applicable to other protected areas and managed natural resources.

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Bureaucratic Barriers Limit Local Participatory Governance in Protected Areas in Costa Rica

Conservation and Society ◽

10.4103/0972-4923.110942 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 16 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Xavier Basurto

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Participatory Governance

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Estado poblacional de mamíferos terrestres en dos áreas protegidas de la región central occidental de Costa Rica

Revista de Biología Tropical ◽

10.15517/rbt.v65i2.24418 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 65 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Melvin Cartín Nuñez ◽

Eduardo Carrillo Jiménez

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Cloud Forest ◽

Medium Size ◽

Forest Reserve ◽

Public And Private ◽

Terrestrial Mammals ◽

Private Protection ◽

Pecari Tajacu ◽

The Difference ◽

Ecological Importance

In the West Central Region of Costa Rica, there are plenty of forests under public and private protection; however, they are increasingly exposed to fragmentation. This is the first report about species richness and the relative abundance of large and medium size terrestrial mammals, in Alberto Manuel Brenes Biological Reserve (ReBAMB) and Nectandra Cloud Forest Reserve (RPN). Our camera trap study was undertaken between April and August, 2008. After 1 620 trap-days, 11 species were identified, nine in ReBAMB and six in RPN. The recorded species in both sites were: Cuniculus paca, Dasyprocta punctata, Nasua narica and Pecari tajacu. Felids were only captured in ReBAMB. The peccary (P. tajacu) was the most abundant mammal within the studied area, in contrast with the apparent absence of species such as white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) and jaguar (Panthera onca). The difference in species composition between both sites was probably consequence of habitat fragmentation, which especially affects RPN. Species as white-lipped peccary and jaguar could be affected, directly or indirectly, by poaching. We propose that a good conservation goal for ReBAMB and due to their ecological importance is to have at least a white-lipped peccary’s population for the next ten years.

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Vulnerability of Elevation-Restricted Endemic Birds of the Cordillera de Talamanca (Costa Rica and Panama) to Climate Change

10.1101/2020.09.11.293134 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Zhen Liu ◽

Luis Sandoval ◽

Lauren Sherman ◽

Andrew Wilson

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Costa Rica ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Bird Species ◽

Population Monitoring ◽

Climate Change Scenarios ◽

Tropical Mountains ◽

Endemic Birds ◽

Community Science ◽

Cordillera De Talamanca

ABSTRACTAnimals endemic to tropical mountains are known to be especially vulnerable to climate change. The Cordillera de Talamanca (Costa Rica and Panama) is a geographically isolated mountain chain and global biodiversity hotspot, home to more than 50 endemic bird species. We used eBird community science observations to predict the distributions of a suite of 48 of these endemic birds in 2006-2015, and in 2070, under four climate change scenarios. Species distributions were predicted using program Maxent, incorporating elevation, satellite derived habitat data, and WorldClim climate variables. Model fit, as assessed by Area under the Receiver Operator Curve (AUC) was very high for most species, ranging from 0.877 to 0.992 (mean of 0.94). We found that most species are predicted to undergo range contractions by 2070, with a mean of 15% under modest climate change (RCP 2.6) up to a mean of 40% under more severe climate change (RCP 8.5). Most of the current ranges of these species are within existing protected areas (average of 59% in 2006-2015), and with prospective range contractions, the importance of these protected areas is forecast to increase. We suggest that these predicted range declines should elevate conservation concerns for this suite of species, and vigilance, in the form of better population monitoring, is urgently needed.

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Conservation Strategies, Protected Areas, and Ecotourism in Costa Rica

Journal of Park and Recreation Administration ◽

10.18666/jpra-2018-v36-i3-8355 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (3) ◽

pp. 115-128 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ricardo Valverde Sanchez

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Conservation Strategies

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Benefits of local residents visiting La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica

Environmental Conservation ◽

10.1017/s0376892906002955 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 89-99 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

RANDALL S. MOORMAN

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Ecological Knowledge ◽

La Selva ◽

Illegal Hunting ◽

Biological Station ◽

La Selva Biological Station ◽

Perceived Benefit ◽

Local Residents

Many conservation organizations have attempted to reduce local threats to protected areas (PAs) by providing environmental education programmes in neighbouring communities. There is a great need to understand the effectiveness of these programmes in promoting support for PAs and ultimately reducing threats to biodiversity. La Selva Biological Station, a private PA in Costa Rica, has become increasingly threatened by illegal hunting in the PA and deforestation and land degradation in surrounding areas. The Station has responded with several outreach projects including an annual free visiting day. This study used a survey instrument to evaluate the benefits of local residents visiting La Selva. Specifically, three questions were asked: (1) is there a difference in ecological knowledge of local residents among residents who have visited the Station and those that have not; (2) does an increase in knowledge relate to a perceived benefit from the PA; and (3) does recognition of a perceived benefit among local people result in fewer residents admitting to hunting or desiring to hunt in the PA? This study showed that those residents who had visited the station had a greater understanding of ecological concepts than those residents that had never been to the station, suggesting that such visits provided educational opportunities. Men also had greater ecological knowledge than women. Additionally, residents were more likely to value the PA if they had a greater knowledge of local ecology and conservation. Increased knowledge and recognition of perceived benefit however, do not necessarily translate into lifestyle changes that benefit conservation; no relationship was detected between residents who stated they benefited from the PA and those who said they did not have a desire to hunt, but younger respondents were more likely to express an interest in hunting than older respondents. The results presented here suggest that protected areas generally may benefit from visitation by local residents. However, further study is needed to determine if such outreach activities actually decrease local threats to conservation efforts, such as hunting.

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