Long-term survey by camera traps of non-volant mammals in two national parks in Rio de Janeiro State

Abstract

© 2015, Oecologia Australis. All rights reserved. The use of camera traps for sampling terrestrial mammals can provide accurate information on the conservation status of an area. However, throughout the southeastern region of Brazil, only two other studies conducted sampling effort comparable to that performed here, which was developed between 2010 and 2012 for four trails in montane forest in Itatiaia National Park (PNI = 3885 days-trap) and the Serra dos Órgãos National Park (PARNASO = 9197 days-trap). The number of photographic records was 377 (PARNASO) and 158 (PNI), with 15 and 22 respectively identified species, most of these being considered endangered, with past records for more than 60 years ago. In addition to the records of new occurrences for the two parks, as greater naked-tailed armadillo (Cabassous tatouay), our results also revealed negative changes in community structure of this community in PARNASO where only four species accounted for approximately 80% records, with a dominant presence of the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris). The species most frequently recorded in PNI were the cougar (Puma concolor), the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu peccary) and the paca (Cuniculus paca), while in PARNASO were the domestic dog (Canis familiares), the puma and the common opossum (Didelphis aurita). Our results show that this method should be regarded as of great importance not only for sampling of species in the tracks, but mainly in assessing the condition and structure of the community, supporting actions for the protection and management of these parks. Our results point to the need for control and management of exotic species such as domestic dog identified at high frequency in PARNASO, and that may be negatively influencing the condition and structure of the community.