Living area, diet, preferably vertical stratum and time use of Bradypus variegatus, released in Fatima Agroecology Research Station

Abstract

The main threats for Bradypus variegatus are: hunt, illegal traffic and habitat fragmentation. The goal of this study was to determine basic ecology aspects such as: the home range, preference of vertical strata, time budget and diet. At the Agroecological Scientific Station Fatima (ECAF), located in the province of Pastaza, Ecuador, two females were released and monitored by telemetry system over a period of time of seven months. The following data was taken: Behavior, plant species of their diet and range of daily displacement. Released females maintain a home range of 8.5 ha (female H-001) and 3.7 ha (female H-002) with an average of 6.1 ha according to the method of Minimum Convex Polygon. According to the method of Kernel, home range is 13.2 ha and 5.8 has with an average of 9.5 ha. Arboreal vertical strata preferred by two individuals, is the canopy (H-001 = 56.7% and H-002 = 53.5%). We identified a total of 14 plant species as part of their diet, and the leafs were the only resource observed to be eaten. The behavior with the highest percentage registered was rest (H-001 = 94.7% and H-002 = 92,42%). This is the first report of this kind of data for Ecuador.