IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Azuara, D.; Medellin, R.A. | |
| Camera trapping as a tool to study jaguars and other mammals in the Lacandon forest, Chiapas | |
| 2011 Book Chapter | |
The Lacandon forest is a biodiversity conservation priority in Mexico. Thus, information on its conservation status and monitoring of umbrella and flagship species, such as the jaguar, is needed. Camera trapping gives us information on presence and abundance of many species. It can be an important tool to document the conservation status of a forest and tune up management and protection decisions. The main objective of the study was to design a monitoring method for large mammal populations in the Lacandon forest, particularly for jaguar and prey species. Trapping area was approximately of 25 km2, with 24 to 28 trap ping points active for eight weeks, (the last two using olfactory attractants), this for both, dry and rainy season. Relative abundance for diverse mammal species were obtained, with no differences found between the two seasons, nor with the use of olfactory attractants. Most cats were recognized individually (1 jaguarundi, 5-6 margays, 4 jaguars, 4 pumas and 13 to 18 ocelots). Camera trapping is useful to study presence and abundance of terrestrial large mammals in the Lacandon forest conditions; particularly of elusive ones like felides, and thus to monitor their populations in the area and compare them with others. A larger trapping area and distance between cameras is needed to capture more jaguars and pumas, in order to estimate their abundance and population densities. |
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