First evaluation of mammals conservation status in Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

Endangered species lists identify real and potential taxa extinction risks at global and regional scales, supporting decision-making processes and public policy. The construction of the first list of threatened species in Bahia state started in 2013. This paper describes the evaluation of conservation status of mammals in Bahia and its main results. The list was built in three phases: (1) preparatory, (2) evaluation and (3) final (validation). One species was considered regionally extinct, 41 were included in categories of threat (‘Critically Endangered’, ‘Endangered’ or ‘Vulnerable’) and four were considered ‘Near Threatened’. Moreover, 51 species were classified as ‘Data Deficient’. Habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting and roadkill were listed as the main threats for mammals in Bahia state. Thirty three out of 45 threatened or ‘Near Threatened’ species were recorded in 21 strictly protected areas (PA), completely or partially located in Bahia, and 32 of the 45 species are included in National Action Plans (PAN). The list of threatened mammals of Bahia includes a high percentage of carnivores, aquatic mammals, primates and ungulates, following the pattern of red lists. The high number of ‘Data Deficient’ species and research effort concentration in relatively small regions along the state are alarming and suggest the absence of planning and insufficient resource destination for biodiversity description, resulting in a limited knowledge on mammal populations and geographic distributions. Bahia occupies a prominent position regarding the conservation of taxa whose distribution range is totally or mainly included in the state. Caatinga, Cerrado and Marine biomes lack of strict PA to represent their diversity of mammal species. The publication of the list of mammals threatened with extinction, efforts to create and effectively protect current PA, and further actions considered in PAN are complementary tools that should be fomented by the government and nongovernment institutions aiming at protecting the rich mammal diversity of Bahia.