Medium and large-sized mammals of a private protected wetland in the Cerrado-Amazon biological corridor, Brazil

Brazil is the world's richest country in biodiversity, including mammal species. In the Brazilian Cerrado biome, mammalian diversity is vast, with about 251 species, 32 of them are endemic and 22 listed as threatened species. In this work, we investigated species diversity of medium- and large-sized mammals in the private protected area RPPN Pontal do Jaburu (RPPN-PJ) and its surroundings, which is a flooded area located in an important biological corridor in the Cerrado-Amazon ecotone zone, a priority area for biodiversity conservation in Brazil. We used camera-trapping, active search (night and day), and track survey during dry season (Apr – Aug 2016). We recorded 29 mammal species, being the Carnivora order the most representative with 11 species. Regarding threat status, 35.7% of the recorded species were listed as threatened in Brazil and 32.1% worldwide. We highlight the high relative frequency of threatened species records such as Tapirus terrestris, Panthera onca, Blastocerus dichotomus, Pteronura brasiliensis, Priodontes maximus, and other, as well as the presence of the newly described aquatic mammal species Inia araguaiaensis. We stress the importance of RPPN-PJ and its surroundings for mammal conservation, which include complex habitats (wetlands) located in an important ecotone zone.

Human-wildlife conflicts with crocodilians, cetaceans and otters in the tropics and subtropics

Conservation of freshwater biodiversity and management of human-wildlife conflicts are major conservation challenges globally. Human-wildlife conflict occurs due to attacks on people, depredation of fisheries, damage to fishing equipment and entanglement in nets. Here we review the current literature on conflicts with tropical and subtropical crocodilians, cetaceans and otters in freshwater and brackish habitats. We also present a new multispecies case study of conflicts with four freshwater predators in the Western Amazon: black caiman (Melanosuchus niger), giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), boto (Inia geoffrensis) and tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis). Documented conflicts occur with 34 crocodilian, cetacean and otter species. Of the species reviewed in this study, 37.5% had conflicts frequently documented in the literature, with the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) the most studied species. We found conflict severity had a positive relationship with species body mass, and a negative relationship with IUCN Red List status. In the Amazonian case study, we found that the black caiman was ranked as the greatest ‘problem’ followed by the boto, giant otter and tucuxi. There was a significant difference between the responses of local fishers when each of the four species were found entangled in nets. We make recommendations for future research, based on the findings of the review and Amazon case study, including the need to standardise data collection.

Guidelines for collection of biological samples for giant otters (Pteronura brasiliensis Gmelin, 1788) and Neotropical otters (Lontra longicaudis Olfers, 1818)

To optimize the health evaluation of Giant and Neotropical otters in the wild and under human care and to guarantee the quality of the information collected and maximize efforts in research projects, Brazilian veterinarians developed two protocols: 1) Protocol for collection, processing and storage of biological samples from live Giant and Neotropical otters, 2) Protocol for collection of biological material during necropsy.

Giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis): a database of specimens held in major Brazilian zoological collections

This dataset compiles information on giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) specimens housed in the major zoological collections of Brazil. We have personally examined the specimens, which constitute of skins, crania, and partial skeletons. We compiled information on collector, date, and locality of the specimens. A total of 56 giant otter specimens housed in six zoological collections were located. Of this total, 12 specimens do not have associated locality information. Of special relevance are the specimens from the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo, as they document the presence of the giant otter in the Atlantic rainforest, where it is now extirpated. Our dataset may be used in studies on distribution (past and present) of the species, and to delineate conservation policies of the giant otter. The specimens from the Atlantic rainforest may be used in museomics analyses, as they may represent lost haplotypes of P. brasiliensis.

Mamíferos de las Reservas Naturales de la Sociedad Civil de Altagracia, Casanare, Colombia

La ausencia de áreas protegidas públicas en Casanare, Colombia, ha incidido en el fortalecimiento de procesos de conservación a través de Reservas Naturales de la Sociedad Civil (RNSC), donde el trabajo con comunidades es la base de la gestión de la biodiversidad. El objetivo de este trabajo fue realizar una evaluación de la riqueza y abundancia de mamíferos terrestres a partir de un programa de monitoreo comunitario en doce RNSC de la vereda Altagracia, Casanare. Durante dos temporadas (2018 y 2019), se instalaron once cámaras trampa, para un total de 960 días/cámara. Se registraron 18 especies de mamíferos, pertenecientes a diez familias y seis órdenes, incluyendo las dos especies amenazadas Myrmecophaga tridactyla y Pteronura brasiliensis. Este trabajo es uno de los primeros inventarios de mamíferos de la Orinoquía colombiana basados en un ejercicio comunitario de conocimiento de la biodiversidad.

Characterization of shelters of the giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis, Mammalia, Carnivora, Mustelidae) in the pantanal wetlands, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil

The giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is an endangered mammal that occupies aquatic environments, especially in the Amazon Rainforest and Pantanal wetlands in South America. The species uses shelters (dens and campsites), such as burrowed tunnels and tangles of branches and roots along watercourses, where it feeds mainly on fishes. In Espírito Santo Creek (northern portion of the Pantanal wetlands in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil), 60 shelters (45 dens and 15 campsites) were identified and georeferenced during 12 fieldtrips between 2002 and 2003. The density was 1.8 dens/km. The shelters were significantly found in locations with partial (35%) or complete (55%) plant cover. The dens were dug mainly in soil associated with roots located, on average, 4.4 m in distance and 2.4 m in height in relation to the waterline. The campsites had a significantly smaller distance and height compared to the dens. The greater density of dens in the study area underscores the need for conserved environments with little human interference for the protection of giant otter populations. The vegetal coverage of riparian forests and the occurrence of ravines along Espírito Santo Creek offer greater protection to the shelters, hindering the access of predators to the interior of the shelter. Studies integrating biological and ecological knowledge with social participation in areas of occurrence of the giant otter are fundamental to the conservation of the species and its habitat in the Pantanal wetlands of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Quase famosas (?): As ariranhas como espécie carismática no turismo

O presente artigo tem como objetivo analisar a condição da ariranha (Pteronura brasiliensis) como espécie carismática no turismo do Pantanal Norte-MT a partir da sua representação midiática e da percepção de turistas sobre a espécie. A partir da metodologia de Análise de Conteúdo e de abordagem teórica interdisciplinar, analisamos a representação desses animais em documentários televisivos sobre o Pantanal. Tais evidências foram articuladas com dados obtidos em uma pesquisa de campo, na qual foram utilizadas técnicas etnográficas baseadas no referencial teórico da etnografia multiespécies. Concluímos que as ariranhas são representadas de forma positiva na mídia, mas que ainda se encontram em fragilidade quando se trata de sua participação em atividades turísticas, especialmente diante da possibilidade de conflitos com humanos.

DIVERSIDAD DE MAMÍFEROS EN EL INTERFLUVIO NAPO- PUTUMAYO-AMAZONAS, AL NORTE DE LA AMAZONÍA PERUANA

Los mamíferos mantienen la estructura del bosque y son importantes como fuente proteica y económica para las comunidades amazónicas. Para conocer la diversidad de mamíferos (excepto murciélagos, roedores pequeños y marsupiales) en los hábitats del interfluvio Putumayo-Napo-Amazonas, se recorrieron 1908,1 km de transectos lineales en donde se avistaron y registraron huellas, 146 cámaras trampa fueron instaladas y se tuvo 977 días/cámaras trampa, se buscaron madrigueras en 118,4 km de transectos. Además, se recopiló información de 13 publicaciones desde 2004 hasta 2020 para conocer la diversidad en el interfluvio. La diversidad fue tomada como riqueza de especies registradas, mientras que la riqueza esperada fue estimada con Chao 1 y la similitud entre hábitats fue analizada con el índice de Morisita. La riqueza fue alta, se registraron 56 especies de 26 familias y 9 órdenes, y fue similar en colina baja, terraza alta, terraza media y aguajal mixto, pero fue muy bajo en el varillal pantanoso y en el bosque de orilla. Los hábitats de terraza media y aguajal mixto fueron muy similares, así como el de terraza alta con colina baja. Los primates Leontocebus nigricollis, Pithecia hirsuta y Cheracebus lucifer, Lagothrix lagothricha lagothricha están restringidas a este interfluvio y las especies con mayor amenaza fueron Pteronura brasiliensis y L. lagothricha. Las amenazas antropogénicas más frecuentes fueron, sobre caza, tala selectiva y deforestación. Este interfluvio tiene una enorme diversidad de mamíferos que puede soportar programas de uso sostenible de animales de caza para beneficiar a las comunidades nativas y de esta forma mitigar las amenazas más frecuentes.

Giant otter Pteronura brasiliensis density and abundance in Llanos Orientales de Colombia in the Orinoco basin

The giant otter Pteronura brasiliensis, categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, was once widely distributed throughout South America. By the middle of the 20th century the giant otter had become locally extinct along the main rivers of the Orinoco basin. Although some populations seem to have recovered, the paucity of information available does not permit a full evaluation of the species' conservation status. The objective of this study was to estimate the abundance and density of the giant otter population along the Orinoco river in the municipality of Puerto Carreño, Vichada, Colombia, where there is important commercial and recreational fishing. Thirty-nine linear km were surveyed, repeatedly, with a total of 315 km of surveys. Population size was estimated by direct counts of individuals. All individuals detected were photographed and identified individually from their throat pelage patterns. In total, 30 otters were identified, giving a minimum density of 0.77 individuals per km, one of the highest reported for the species in Colombia. Given the high density in this well-developed area, our results highlight the importance of this population for the conservation of the species.