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Are There Andean Bears in Panama´?

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Are There Andean Bears in Panama´? SHORT COMMUNICATION N Goldstein et al. Are there Andean bears in Panama´ ? Isaac Goldstein1, Victor Guerrero1, and Ricardo To the north the Andes divide into 2 branches. Moreno2 The northernmost limit of the Andean bear distri- bution over the eastern branch of the Andes is well 1Programa Oso Andino, Wildlife Conservation Society, known, reaching the Portuguesa Mountains in Edificio General Massini, Piso 3, Avenida 4 entre Calles Venezuela (Mondolfi 1989, Goldstein 1992). In the 18 y 19, Me´rida, Venezuela western branch the range boundary is less clear. 2 Sociedad Mastozoologı´ca de Panama´, Apartado Postal Many authors confine the distribution of the 0835-00680, Parque Lefevre, Zona 10 Panama´, Panama´ Andean bear to the Choco´ region of Colombia (Rodriguez et al. 2003), while others report it to Abstract: We present the results of a 2007 survey for reach as far as the Colombian Darie´n at Los Katios Andean bears (Tremarctos ornatus) at Serranı´ade National Park, at the headwaters of the Peye River Pirre, Panama´. We surveyed game trails using (sighting report by S. Zuluaga, Universidad Nacio- methodology developed by the Andean Bear Program nal de Colombia, Bogota´, Colombia, 1983; J.V. of the Wildlife Conservation Society. We searched a Rodriguez, Conservation International, Bogota´, total of 14 km along 3 trails and found 4 trees with Colombia, personal communications, 2007) and claw marks resembling Andean bear activity signs. other areas along the border with Panama´ (Peyton No other bear activity signs were found. The type and 1999, Minambiente 2001). Particularly interesting is encounter rate of activity signs found at Serranı´ade the possible presence reported at the Serranı´a del Pirre indicate either a very sporadic and brief presence Darie´n in Panama´ (Hershkovitz 1957) based on of Andean bears in the area or the absence of Andean specimens that were collected at the localities of bears and the misidentification of the claw marks as David and Bahı´a de Caledonia. bear signs. We conclude that there is no resident population of Andean bears at the Serranı´a de Pirre and probably at the adjacent southernmost Serranı´a de Jingurudo. The only other mountain range Study area biogeographically related with the Andes with reports The Darie´n area in Panama´ has 3 distinct mountain of Andean bear presence in Panama´ is the northern- ranges: Serranı´a de Darie´n, Serranı´a de Pirre, and most Serranı´a del Darie´n. Serranı´a del Darie´n should Serranı´a de Jingurudo (Fig. 1). Serranı´a de Darie´n, be surveyed to confirm the status of Andean bears in the northernmost mountain range, is separated from Panama´. the other ranges by the valley of the Tuira River. Serranı´a de Darie´n is not geologically part of the Key words: Andean bear, Cerro Pirre, Colombia, Andes, but it shares many animal and plant species Darie´n, distribution, Panama´, presence, Tremarc- with the western branch of the Andes in Colombia. tos ornatus The Serranı´a de Jingurudo and Serranı´a de Pirre are Ursus 19(2):185–189 (2008) geologically and biogeographically part of the west- ern branch of the Andes (Garibaldi et al. 2000). Serranı´a de Jingurudo and Serranı´a de Pirre reach elevations of 1700 m and are connected to the western The northern and southern boundaries of the Choco´ Mountain Range in Colombia through the Andean bear’s (Tremarctos ornatus) distribution forested Atrato River basin at altitudes between 200 have been the subject of much debate. To the south, and 400 m (Fig. 1). In the past, such low elevation Andean bear presence has been confirmed in forested areas as those in the Atrato were considered southern Bolivia and has been speculated to extend as dispersal barriers to Andean bears (Peyton 1999). to northwestern Argentina (Vargas and Azurduy However, we recently documented Andean bear 2006). Andean bears have been presumed to be presence in forested areas as low as 300 m at the extirpated in Argentina (Brown and Rumiz 1989), watersheds of the Uribante and Caparo rivers in but there have been reports of the species presence in Venezuela (Goldstein 2006) and at 500 m at the the northernmost forest of the Argentinean yungas Serranı´a de Kutuku in Ecuador (Zapata-Rios et al. (Del Moral and Bracho 2005). 2006). Thus, the low lying forests between the Choco´ 185 186 SHORT COMMUNICATION N Goldstein et al. Fig.1. The Darie ´ n area of Panama´ and its 3 distinct mountain ranges: Serranı´ a de Darie´ n, Serranı´ a de Pirre, and Serranı´ a de Jingurudo. and Darie´n areas are not necessarily a barrier for Peak at 1600 m above sea level at the Panama´– Andean bear movement and dispersal. Colombia border. We surveyed selected mountain The vegetation at the highest elevations of the ridges in the area of interest for game trails (i.e., Serranı´a de Pirre at the Panama´–Colombian border trails that animals use often enough to leave a clearly can be described as cloud forest (Stadmu¨ller 1987), marked path and a great concentration of signs; supporting a high biomass of palms as well as Goldstein 2006). Andean bear trails along mountain terrestrial and epiphytic bromeliads (Garibaldi et al. ridges are common throughout the species’ range 2000), important Andean bear foods (Goldstein (Peyton 1984, Goldstein 2006, Rios-Uzeda et al. 1992, Peyton 1999). 2006). Trails showing bear activity signs are mainly found along the longest and least steep mountain ridges that cover the greatest altitudinal gradient in Methods an area. Thus, surveys using the game trail We visited the Serranı´a the Pirre in January 2007 methodology should include the longest, most to survey the area using the techniques developed by gradually ascending ridges. Typically, 4–6 adjacent Northern Andes Andean Bear Program of the ridges with a total of 12–16 km of trails should be Wildlife Conservation Society. The area of the surveyed (2–3 km of trail per ridge). Serranı´a de Pirre above 500 m is about 80 km2.We The frequency of encounter of bear signs depend identified 2 long ridges, both reaching Cerro Pirre on the abundance and activities of the bears. Some Ursus 19(2):185–189 (2008) SHORT COMMUNICATION N Goldstein et al. 187 Fig.2. Distribution of survey transects in Serranı ´ a de Pirre, Panama´ , for a 2007 study of Andean bear presence in Panama´ . trails are heavily used for feeding, thus food tracks and scats) of jaguar (Panthera onca), puma remnants such as bromeliad leaves are the most (Puma concolor), Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii), frequently observed sign; other trails are mainly used collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), and white-lipped for tree marking, with claw marks on trees being the peccary (Tayassu pecari). We found 14 trees with most common sign. Typically, all kinds of bear signs conspicuous claw marks; however, only 4 trees (tracks, signs of tree climbing, feeding and resting presented claw marks that could be attributed to sites, tree nest, scats) are encountered along each Andean bears considering the size, form, and trail, confirming the presence of bears. Along bear placement of the marks on the trees (Goldstein trails in Bolivia, Venezuela, and Ecuador, 4–60 2006). Of the 4 trees with claw marks, 2 had long Andean bear activity signs/km were reported (Gold- claw marks, of the type described as ‘mark–remark,’ stein 2006). which are very common along Andean bear trails. The other 2 trees had short claw marks of the type described as ‘climbing’ claw marks, made as bears Results climb a tree for feeding or resting (Goldstein 2006). We surveyed 14 km of game trails (Fig. 2) during We did not find any other bear sign, although we 26–30 January 2007. We found 3 game trails along intensively searched about 1 ha around each of the the ridgelines, with many activity signs (mainly claw mark signs. Ursus 19(2):185–189 (2008) 188 SHORT COMMUNICATION N Goldstein et al. Discussion late as the 1970s. During British management, the Contrary to the trend in all other areas with mine settlement had up to 10,000 inhabitants. Most confirmed Andean bear presence, at Serranı´ade of the meat consumed by inhabitants was bushmeat Pirre, only one type of bear sign (claw marks) was killed by hunters on the company payroll, even up to found. Compared to other bear signs, marked trees the closure of the mine in the late 1970s. Written can remain many years unaltered. At Serranı´ade documentation about the mine operation and Pirre, we found no other type of bear signs to history makes no mention of the presence of bears. confirm recent or actual presence of bears in the Further, settlers 40 km away in the town of Boca de area. Further, the frequency of encounter of signs/ Cupe were seasoned hunters who arrived in the km of trail was lower (0.3 sign/km) than the lowest 1970s from the upper Murindo river basin in the frequency of bear activity signs (2 sign/km) encoun- Colombian Choco; they were familiar with the tered at any other study site with a similar sampling Andean bear and its activity signs, particularly regime and effort (Goldstein 2006). bromeliad and palm feeding remains. After decades We propose 2 possible explanations for our findings. of living and hunting at the Serranı´a de Pirre, none First, the claw marks at Serranı´a de Pirre are indeed of the settlers reported a single sighting of bear sign, Andean bear marks, supporting the claims of Andean much less the sighting of a bear. bear presence in Panama´ (Hershkovitz 1957, Emmons Whether or not the claw marks found at Serranı´a and Feer 1987, Eisemberg 1989).
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