Diversity and conservation of the macro and meso mammals in a protected forest in the upper Amazon of Pastaza, Ecuador

Abstract

The medium and large mammals of the high Ecuadorian Amazon region have not been studied despite facing serious threats. In this context, this study attempts to document the richness and abundance of these species from the Ethnoecological Community Protected Forest Pablo López de Oglán Alto (BPCE-PLOA) located in Pastaza province. From February to July 2020, 20 photo-trapping stations were in-stalled, 500 m apart, in 10 km² of lowland evergreen forest. With an effort of 3347 trap nights, 1110 independent events were obtained from 29 mammal species of eight orders and fifteen families (21 medium-sized and eight large-sized species). From the total number of independent events obtained, 60.88 % were omnivorous mammals, 25.87 % were herbivorous, 10.61 % were carnivorous and 2.52 % were insectivorous. The species with the highest Relative Abundance Index (RAI) were Dasyproc-ta fuliginosa (RAI=9.98), Mazama americana (RAI=4.93) and Dasypus novemcinctus (RAI= 3.85). The threatened species recorded were Phantera onca, Tapirus terrestris, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, Prio-dontes maximus, Atelocynus microtis and Speothos venaticus. Our study demonstrates that BPCEPLOA has a high diversity of mammals despite its short extension. With this information, it will be possible to promote the creation of an ecological corridor in the Oglán river basin for the protection of the local fau-na, with the consensus of the indigenous communities in the BPCEPLOA’s area of influence.