Diversity of medium and large neotropical mammals in an area of mixed rain forest

Abstract

Medium and large mammals (> 1 kg) were studied using camera traps with active sensors in a Conservation Unit located in an area of Mixed Rain Forest or Araucaria Forest (Atlantic Forest at altitude) in the South of Brazil, as a method for investigating the area’s conservation status and enabling comparison with other types of environments in which these mammals occur in the Neotropical region. From June 2005 to December 2010, a sampling effort of 10,844 trap-days yielded records of 21 species. A minimum sampling effort of 3000 trap-days was necessary to obtain records of all of these species. The species with the greatest frequency of photocaptures was Dasyprocta azarae (agouti), followed by Leopardus pardalis (ocelot), Leopardus guttulus (southern oncilla or little spotted cat) and Dasypus novemcinctus (nine-banded armadillo). The species with the lowest numbers of records were Pecari tajacu (collared peccary) and Chrysocyon brachyurus (maned wolf). Although the Conservation Unit studied has small physical dimensions, the diversity of species of medium and large mammals was comparable with what has been observed in other types of forests, in particular because there are still effective biological corridors in the area.