Are white-lipped peccaries from Argentinean Yungas looking to a promising future?

The white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) is considered a key species for its role as an ecosystem engineer. Given their important ecological function, there is a great concern in the scientific community regarding the many reports of disappearances or great abundance reductions throughout its distribution (from southern Mexico to northern Argentina). Based on an extensive survey effort, we report new data of presence of WLP after a period of no detections in the Argentine Yungas. The study was conducted in the Yungas ecoregion, provinces of Jujuy and Salta, Argentina. Data was collected from camera trap, direct sightings and footprints during 2013–2021. From a total of 30,186 trap nights, we obtained 8 WLP detections. There were no detections before 2017, while as of 2018 there was at least one camera trap record in each of the years. Additionally, opportunistic records were obtained yearly from 2019 to 2021. The period without detections could be related to a period of a population cycle, as suggested in different regions of America during the last century, being disease the most likely cause. These cycles generally follow a pattern of a rapid population decline, a period of absence or low abundance followed by slow population growth. We believe that if the trend continues and the number of detections increases, we could be facing the early stages of the increase phase in the WLP population cycle in the Argentine Yungas.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Are white-lipped peccaries from Argentinean Yungas looking to a promising future?

The white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) is considered a key species for its role as an ecosystem engineer. Given their important ecological function, there is a great concern in the scientific community regarding the many reports of disappearances or great abundance reductions throughout its distribution (from southern Mexico to northern Argentina). Based on an extensive survey effort, we report new data of presence of WLP after a period of no detections in the Argentine Yungas. The study was conducted in the Yungas ecoregion, provinces of Jujuy and Salta, Argentina. Data was collected from camera trap, direct sightings and footprints during 2013–2021. From a total of 30,186 trap nights, we obtained 8 WLP detections. There were no detections before 2017, while as of 2018 there was at least one camera trap record in each of the years. Additionally, opportunistic records were obtained yearly from 2019 to 2021. The period without detections could be related to a period of a population cycle, as suggested in different regions of America during the last century, being disease the most likely cause. These cycles generally follow a pattern of a rapid population decline, a period of absence or low abundance followed by slow population growth. We believe that if the trend continues and the number of detections increases, we could be facing the early stages of the increase phase in the WLP population cycle in the Argentine Yungas.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Analizando los esfuerzos para la conservación de carnívoros terrestres en Argentina

Because of the great diversity (28 species) and fragile conservation status (57.1% of species are in threat of extinction) of the terrestrial carnivores of Argentina, we aimed to collect information about the conservation efforts in this country and identify tools to improve their effectiveness through expert opinion. Lack of interest by governmental agencies was the major obstacle for the development of conservation projects in Argentina. However, this factor appears to have evolved positively in the last 5 years. The limited participation of local communities and lack of funds were recognized as additional impediments, which showed variable temporal trends. The inadequacies of the education system and the lack of interdisciplinary approaches represented less important diffi culties. Twenty-nine current carnivore conservation projects were recorded in 19 of the 23 Argentinean provinces, with a concentration in Neuquén and some northern provinces. Although 78.6% of the species of native carnivores forms part of at least one project, less than half of them are the focal species of a project. The number of projects per species ranges from 16 (for Puma concolor) to cero (for Pteronura brasiliensis, Lontra felina, Lyncodon patagonicus, Conepatus humboldtii, and Leopardus guigna). Whereas the number of projects/species was not related to a species’ conservation status, we found a positive association between this indicator of conservation effort and body size. We provide suggestions to reduce biases and identify taxonomic and geographic priorities that will enable to improve the use of the limited resources available for the conservation of carnivores in Argentina.Debido a la gran diversidad (28 especies) y el delicado estado de conservación (57,1% de especies con amenaza de extinción) de los carnívoros terrestres en Argentina, nos propusimos recopilar información sobre los esfuerzos actuales de conservación en este país y, mediante consulta a expertos, identifi car medidas para mejorar su efi cacia. El principal obstáculo encontrado para la implementación de proyectos de conservación en Argentina fue la falta de interés por parte de entes gubernamentales, aunque este factor habría evolucionado positivamente en los últimos 5 años. La limitada participación de las comunidades locales y la escasez de fondos fueron otros problemas importantes y con tendencia variable entre proyectos. Las carencias en el sistema educativo y de enfoques interdisciplinarios representarían obstáculos menos relevantes. Se registraron 29 proyectos de conservación de los carnívoros en desarrollo en 19 de las 23 provincias argentinas, con mayor concentración en Neuquén y provincias del norte del país. El 78,6% de las especies de carnívoros nativos es objeto de uno o más proyectos, pero menos de la mitad son el foco de un proyecto. El número de proyectos por especie varía entre 16 (para Puma concolor) y cero (para Pteronura brasiliensis, Lontra felina, Lyncodon patagonicus, Conepatus humboldtii y Leopardus guigna). La cantidad de proyectos por especie no resultó relacionada con su estado de conservación, pero sí con su tamaño corporal. Se brindan pautas para corregir sesgos y establecer prioridades taxonómicas y geográfi cas y así mejorar el uso de los limitados recursos disponibles para la conservación de los carnívoros argentinos

Activity pattern segregation of carnivores in the high Andes

Intraguild competition may be reduced if ecologically similar species segregate temporally. Using data from 1,596 camera-trap photos, we present the 1st quantitative analyses of the activity patterns of Andean cats (Leopardus jacobita), Pampas cats (Leopardus colocolo), culpeos (Lycalopex culpaeus), and pumas (Puma concolor) in high-altitude deserts of the Andes. We compared daily activity patterns for these carnivores with those of mountain vizcachas (Lagidium viscacia), the main prey of Andean cats. Activity patterns of all species were positively skewed toward night. Pampas cats displayed the greatest proportion of nocturnal activity, whereas Andean cats were the most diurnal. Activity of Andean cats differed significantly only from that of Pampas cats; Pampas cats also differed from pumas. Activity of Andean cats was generally similar to that of mountain vizcachas. The dissimilar activity patterns of Andean and Pampas cats support the hypothesis of temporal niche segregation of these felids.La segregation temporal entre especies ecológicamente similares puede reducir la competición intragremial. Sobre la base de 1,596 fotos de trampas cámaras, se presentan los primeras análisis cuantitativos sobre los patrones de actividad del gato andino (Leopardus jacobita), gato de los pajonales (Leopardus colocolo), zorro culpeo (Lycalopex culpaeus) y puma (Puma concolor) en los desiertos de altura de los Andes. Se comparan los patrones de actividad de estos carnívoros con los del chinchillón (Lagidium viscacia), la presa principal del gato andino. Los patrones de actividad de todas las especies mostraron un sesgo positivo hacia la noche. El gato de los pajonales tuvo la mayor proporción de actividad nocturna y el gato andino de diurna. La actividad del gato andino difirió en forma significativa únicamente de la del gato de los pajonales; los patrones de este último se diferenciaron también del puma. La actividad del gato andino fue en general similar a la del chinchillón. La diferencia entre gato andino y de los pajonales apoya la hipótesis de segregación entre los nichos temporales de estos félidos.Fil: Lucherini, Mauro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Reppucci, Juan Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Walker, Rebecca Susana. Wildlife Conservation Society; ArgentinaFil: Villalba, M. Lilian. Colección Boliviana de Fauna; BoliviaFil: Wurstten, Alvaro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca; Argentina. Wildlife Conservation Society; ArgentinaFil: Gallardo Giovana. Centro de Estudios en Biología Teórica y Aplicada; BoliviaFil: Iriarte, Agustín. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; ChileFil: Villalobos, Rodrigo. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; ChileFil: Perovic, Pablo Gastón. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; Argentin

II. Conflictos entre felinos y humanos en América Latina.

Este libro contó con el liderazgo del Instituto Humboldt y de las Fundaciones Herencia Ambiental Caribe y Panthera. En 32 capítulos se recoge el esfuerzo de 77 instituciones y 110 autores que representan 18 países y abordan el conflicto entre humanos y felinos en América Latina. Es la compilación más completa que se ha elaborado acerca del tema en Latinoamérica, involucrando el análisis, la planificación, el manejo y la resolución de los conflictos entre humanos y felinos.BogotáCiencias de la Biodiversida