Is the Banana Ripe? Andean Bear–Human Conflict in a Protected Area of Colombia

The Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus; bear) is endemic to the tropical Andes Mountains of South America. Previous assessments predict that bear populations will decline by \u3e30% in the next 30 years. The species may face the greatest threats within its historical distribution in Colombia where rapid agricultural expansion into natural habitats is increasing human–bear conflicts. Between April 2017 and March 2018, we studied bear feeding behavior on plantain (Musa sapientum) and banana (M. paradisiaca) crops within the Barbas-Bremen protected area in the central mountain range of Colombia to describe the magnitude of crop damage, economic losses, and spatial distribution of feeding sites where human–bear conflicts would most likely occur. We also identified all affected farmers and used structured interviews to determine their attitudes toward the bears and their conservation. We recorded 237 damaged plants and identified 57 bear feeding area locations on 9 farms. Bear damage consisted of bites to the trunk of each plant and consumption of the centers. The damage polygon covered 198 ha, and it was located in the northwestern portion of the protected area. Although we estimated that the magnitude of crop consumption by bears and social and economic dimensions of damage caused by the species in Colombia. Our research also provides insights on how human–bear conflicts may be mitigated in the study area

Modelos de ocupación para datos de cámaras trampa

The use of camera traps (CT) in wildlife research can lead to biased conclusions when imperfect species detectability is ignored. Analytical tools such as occupancy models allow the simultaneous estimation of ecological parameters corrected by detection probability. However, it is necessary to implement and correctly interpret the estimated parameters to obtain sound biological inferences. This work presents a conceptual framework to critically design an occupancy analysis using CT data. General recommendations are discussed and presented for the definition of model elements, the sampling design, as well as the modeling strategy depending on the objectives of the study, the characteristics of the species and the data obtained. Decisions made by researchers to define the model components must consider the appropriate scale at which the study phenomenon makes biological sense. In this way, it is possible to generate valid inferences and conclusions with CT data that allow the advance in the understanding of the mechanisms that underly wildlife spatial ecology and their conservation.El uso de las cámaras trampa (CT) en la investigación de fauna silvestre puede generar conclusiones sesgadas cuando la detectabilidad imperfecta de especies no es considerada. Herramientas analíticas como los modelos de ocupación permiten estimar simultáneamente parámetros ecológicos corregidos por la probabilidad de detección. Sin embargo, es necesario implementar e interpretar de manera correcta los parámetros estimados por estos modelos para obtener inferencias con sentido biológico. Este trabajo presenta un marco conceptual base para diseñar de manera apropiada un análisis de ocupación por medio de datos de CT. Se discuten y se señalan recomendaciones generales para la definición de los elementos del modelo, el diseño del muestreo, así como estrategias de modelamiento estadísticos apropiadas dependiendo de los objetivos del estudio, las características de la especie y el tipo de datos obtenidos. Las decisiones tomadas por el investigador para definir cada uno de los componentes del modelo deben considerar la escala adecuada para que el fenómeno de estudio tenga sentido biológico. De esta manera, es posible generar inferencias y conclusiones robustas a partir de información de CT, lo que permite avanzar en el entendimiento de los mecanismos que subyacen a la ecología espacial de fauna silvestre y por lo tanto en su conservación

Afecciones cutáneas en Potos flavus (Schreber, 1774) y Nasua nasua (Linnaeus, 1766) (Mammalia: carnívora: Procyonidae) silvestres en Risaralda, Colombia.

Between June 2020 and May 2021, were recorded in the department of Risaralda, Colombia an individual of the species Nasua nasua in the village of La Linea and two individuals of the species Potos flavus, one of them in the village of Agua Linda in the same municipality and another one in the village " The Estanquillo” of the Dosquebradas municipality, which presented skin conditions in different regions of the body. The causes are not described; however, it is proposed to study the influence of diseases transmitted by domestic animals as a possible source of the observed skin conditions.Entre junio 2020 y mayo 2021, se observó un individuo de Nasua nasua en la vereda “La Línea” del municipio de Apía y dos individuos de Potos flavus, uno en la vereda “Agua Linda”- Apía y otro en la vereda “La Esperanza” del municipio de Dosquebradas, los cuales presentaban afecciones cutáneas en diferentes regiones del cuerpo. Las causas de dichas afecciones no fueron descritas, no obstante, se propone estudiar la influencia de enfermedades transmitidas por animales domésticos como posible fuente de las afecciones cutáneas observadas

Ecological modeling, biogeography, and phenotypic analyses setting the tiger cats’ hyperdimensional niches reveal a new species

Abstract Recently, the tiger-cat species complex was split into Leopardus tigrinus and Leopardus guttulus, along with other proposed schemes. We performed a detailed analysis integrating ecological modeling, biogeography, and phenotype of the four originally recognized subspecies—tigrinus, oncilla, pardinoides, guttulus—and presented a new multidimensional niche depiction of the species. Species distribution models used > 1400 records from museums and photographs, all checked for species accuracy. Morphological data were obtained from institutional/personal archives. Spotting patterns were established by integrating museum and photographic/camera-trap records. Principal component analysis showed three clearly distinct groups, with the Central American specimens (oncilla) clustering entirely within those of the Andes, namely the pardinoides group of the cloud forests of the southern Central-American and Andean mountain chains (clouded tiger-cat); the tigrinus group of the savannas of the Guiana Shield and central/northeastern Brazil (savanna tiger-cat); and the guttulus group in the lowland forests of the Atlantic Forest domain (Atlantic Forest tiger-cat). This scheme is supported by recent genetic analyses. All species displayed different spotting patterns, with some significant differences in body measurements/proportions. The new distribution presented alarming reductions from the historic range of − 50.4% to − 68.2%. This multidimensional approach revealed a new species of the elusive and threatened tiger-cat complex

Memorias. Encuentro de Experiencias en Inventarios y Monitoreo Biológico

Las discusiones temáticas alrededor de la consolidación del Inventario Nacional de Biodiversidad para Colombia y la Red de Monitoreo de Biodiversidad como una estrategia de largo plazo, sin duda temas complejos que requerirán de grandes esfuerzos, coordinación y generosidad institucional y personal, los podrá apreciar el lector a lo largo del presente documento, esperando que pueda entender también la importancia que tienen los resultados y la agenda propuesta si en el futuro queremos tomar decisiones con bases científicas