Inventory of medium-sized and large mammals in La Encrucijada Biosphere Reserve and Puerto Arista Estuarine System, Chiapas, Mexico

La Encrucijada Biosphere Reserve (REBIEN) and Puerto Arista Estuarine System (SEPA) are natural protected areas and Ramsar sites in Chiapas, Mexico. In this study, we conducted an inventory of medium-sized and large mammals using camera trapping. We recorded 23 species in the REBIEN and 13 species in the SEPA. In addition, 35% of the species recorded in the two sites are at some category of risk of extinction at the national or international level. The most abundant species in the REBIEN were Northern Raccoon (Procyon lotor (Linnaeus, 1758)) and White-Nosed Coati (Nasua narica (Linnaeus, 1766)). In the SEPA, White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann, 1780)), Collared Peccary (Dicotyles crassus (Merrian, 1901)), and White-Nosed Coati (Nasua narica). Our results highlight the importance of both study sites in the conservation of medium-sized and large mammals and underline the urgent need to develop conservation strategies for these areas.

First record of collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) in the southern part of the Mexican Altiplano

El pecarí de collar (Pecari tajacu) se encuentra desde el norte de Argentina hasta el sur de Estados Unidos. En México se distribuye ampliamente en diferentes hábitats, principalmente en zonas tropicales. En la porción sur del Altiplano Mexicano su distribución histórica es poco clara y se le ha llegado a considerar extirpado por la sobreexplotación de sus poblaciones y el desarrollo de agricultura. Reportamos el primer registro de pecarí de collar para los Llanos de Ojuelos, obtenido mediante una cámara trampa colocada en hábitat xeroribereño. Este hallazgo confirma los informes de campesinos sobre la presencia de pecarí en la región, unos 20 km al norte del registro aquí reportado. Dos registros recientes de la especie en los municipios de Pinos, Zacatecas y Corral de Palmas, San Luis Potosí, distan aproximadamente 60 km del nuestro, por lo que serían de manadas diferentes. El sitio de donde proviene el registro aquí presentado es el cauce de un arroyo con cobertura densa de árboles y arbustos, rodeado de pastizal y matorral xerófilo con abundantes nopales que proveen alimento y agua a los pecaríes. La presencia del pecarí y otros mamíferos grandes, como el puma y el venado, en Los Llanos de Ojuelos puede aprovecharse para realizar campañas de sensibilización entre los habitantes para conservar los recursos naturales de la región.

Epidemiological survey of leptospirosis in collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu Linnaeus, 1758) in legal breeding sites in some states in the Northeast region, Brazil

The collared peccary (Pecari tajacu Linnaeus, 1758) is considered an animal of economic viability for trading and potentially productive for meat, being important the knowledge about the health of this species. Thus, the objective of the research was to carry out a cross-sectional study of leptospirosis in captive collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) from the states of Paraíba, Rio Grande do Norte and Piauí, northeast region of Brazil, using serological and molecular techniques. Serum samples from 48 animals were tested using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) technique. In the samples of vaginal and preputial fluid, the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was performed. Four animals (8.3%) were seroreactive for Leptospira sp. with reaction to serogroup Icterohaemorraghiae and negative in PCR. There was association between the occurrence of leptospirosis and the intensive breeding system (odds ratio=63.00; 95%CI=4.3-910.6; P=0.002). The seroreactivity for leptospirosis suggests that, at some point, these animals were infected by sources of infection within the farm itself. It was also possible to observe the importance of knowing the serogroups prevalent in this species in the studied region, which allows the establishment of adequate strategies for its control, thus prioritizing the balance in the human-animal-environment relationship.