En el mar interior de Última Esperanza: Dinámicas de ocupación y movilidad canoera en la isla Diego Portales (Magallanes, Chile)

Caracterizar las estrategias de movilidad de las sociedades cazadoras-recolectoras-pescadoras en ambientes insulares y litorales es fundamental para comprender la interacción humano-ambiental en el pasado. Las prospecciones en el noreste de la isla Diego Portales, en el mar interior de Última Esperanza (Magallanes, Chile), han permitido documentar ocho yacimientos arqueológicos formados por uno o varios conchales. Todos ellos se hallan ubicados en áreas de la costa al resguardo del viento dominante y con fácil acceso mediante embarcación. Los trabajos arqueológicos en dos de estos yacimientos (Bahía Easter 1 y 2) indican una estrategia de subsistencia similar durante el Holoceno tardío final, basada en el aprovechamiento de la biodiversidad de este ambiente de ecotono, con más de una docena de recursos marinos y terrestres consumidos. Entre éstas destaca en abundancia el huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus), probablemente cazado en el litoral continental. Teniendo en cuenta las dinámicas de poblamiento y movilidad propuestas desde la etnografía o la arqueología para otras áreas del archipiélago fuego-patagónico, los resultados permiten discutir la reocupación sucesiva de puntos estratégicos de la isla, particularmente en primavera-verano, cuando la encrucijada de caminos y recursos que representa el mar interior de Última Esperanza presentaba alicientes significativos para las comunidades canoeras.

Guanacos y huemules. Consumo y tecnología ósea en cazadores recolectores durante el Holoceno medio y tardío en la región Fuego-Patagonia

El libro “Los Artiodáctilos de Fuego-Patagonia (Chile). Explotación alimenticia y su importancia en la tecnología ósea de los cazadores recolectores del Holoceno medio y tardío” de Víctor Sierpe, es una obra que expone de manera profunda, y a la vez concisa, los resultados de una larga y vasta investigación zooarqueológica. En ella se aborda la interacción entre dos grandes mamíferos terrestres sudamericanos: el guanaco (Lama guanicoe guanicoe, Muller 1776) y el huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus, Molina 1782), y las poblaciones cazadoras recolectoras terrestres y marítimas que cohabitaron en el extremo sur de Patagonia desde el Holoceno medio hasta momentos históricos.

Observations of a coastal population of huemul, Hippocamelus bisulcus (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) in Riesco Island, Magallanes Region, Chile: a conservation opportunity

We document the presence of a huemul population on Cabo León, Riesco Island, Chilean Patagonia 15 years after its first assessment, providing ecological insights for this southernmost coastal population. During Austral spring 2018 we recorded indirect signs of huemul presence and five individuals including one yearling across 35 km of trails, estimating a density of 2.3 ind/km2. Records were distributed in dense secondary forest, at low elevations and slopes. These observations suggest the presence of a breeding population, favored by the establishment of a private reserve and the reduction of livestock, along with the recently established Kawésqar National Park.

Learning to count: adapting population monitoring for Endangered huemul deer Hippocamelus bisulcus to meet conservation objectives

Considerable efforts have been invested in recent years to improve methods for both data collection and analyses required for population monitoring. Where historical or current estimates of population size are not adjusted for detection probabilities they may be too inaccurate to provide meaningful estimates of trends and thus monitoring methods need to be adapted. Here, we use data from the Endangered huemul deer Hippocamelus bisulcus to outline a framework to develop accurate robust estimates of detection probabilities that can be incorporated into new surveys in a cost-effective way and applied to existing survey data sets. In particular, by retroactively estimating detection probabilities for surveys of huemul, we show that current survey methods for huemul are inadequate to determine population trends reliably. Based on these results we propose a new monitoring method for the huemul and discuss the importance of estimating accuracies of historical survey data to ensure that changes in the abundance of the species reflect real population trends and are not an artefact of variation over time in the accuracy of survey data. © 2010 Fauna & Flora International.

Learning to count: adapting population monitoring for Endangered huemul deer Hippocamelus bisulcus to meet conservation objectives

Considerable efforts have been invested in recent years to improve methods for both data collection and analyses required for population monitoring. Where historical or current estimates of population size are not adjusted for detection probabilities they may be too inaccurate to provide meaningful estimates of trends and thus monitoring methods need to be adapted. Here, we use data from the Endangered huemul deer Hippocamelus bisulcus to outline a framework to develop accurate robust estimates of detection probabilities that can be incorporated into new surveys in a cost-effective way and applied to existing survey data sets. In particular, by retroactively estimating detection probabilities for surveys of huemul, we show that current survey methods for huemul are inadequate to determine population trends reliably. Based on these results we propose a new monitoring method for the huemul and discuss the importance of estimating accuracies of historical survey data to ensure that changes in the abundance of the species reflect real population trends and are not an artefact of variation over time in the accuracy of survey data. © 2010 Fauna & Flora International.

Dynamics of a small population of endangered huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) in Chilean Patagonia

Conservation of huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus), an endangered South American deer, is hindered by a lack of quantitative information on its population dynamics. We conducted a 3-year study in Chilean Patagonia to assess the dynamics of huemul by monitoring known individuals. We fitted 55 deer of all sexage classes with either radiocollars, radio ear tags, or conventional ear tags, and identified 33 additional deer through natural marks. KaplanMeier estimates revealed that annual survival of adult females was high and stable (0•94 ± 0•07 SD), but survival of female fawns was low and variable (0•13 ± 0•18). Predation was the predominant cause of mortality for deer of all age classes. Fertility rates were lower (0•72 ± 0•20) than in other cervids of similar size. Simulations of the finite rate of increase (λ) suggest that the population is currently stable. Sensitivity analysis showed that any decrease in adult female survival would have drastic effects on λ. Consequently, management should maintain high adult survival and improve recruitment. Continued monitoring of individuals is required to provide baseline data for comparison with other populations and to inform recovery strategies of small and fragmented populations. © 2010 American Society of Mammalogists.

Dynamics of a small population of endangered huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) in Chilean Patagonia

Conservation of huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus), an endangered South American deer, is hindered by a lack of quantitative information on its population dynamics. We conducted a 3-year study in Chilean Patagonia to assess the dynamics of huemul by monitoring known individuals. We fitted 55 deer of all sexage classes with either radiocollars, radio ear tags, or conventional ear tags, and identified 33 additional deer through natural marks. KaplanMeier estimates revealed that annual survival of adult females was high and stable (0•94 ± 0•07 SD), but survival of female fawns was low and variable (0•13 ± 0•18). Predation was the predominant cause of mortality for deer of all age classes. Fertility rates were lower (0•72 ± 0•20) than in other cervids of similar size. Simulations of the finite rate of increase (λ) suggest that the population is currently stable. Sensitivity analysis showed that any decrease in adult female survival would have drastic effects on λ. Consequently, management should maintain high adult survival and improve recruitment. Continued monitoring of individuals is required to provide baseline data for comparison with other populations and to inform recovery strategies of small and fragmented populations. © 2010 American Society of Mammalogists.