Vol. 32: 145–152, 2017 ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH Published February 7 doi: 10.3354/esr00802 Endang Species Res OPENPEN ACCESSCCESS NOTE Terrestrial camera traps: essential tool for the detection and future monitoring of the Critically Endangered Sira curassow Pauxi koepckeae Christopher Beirne1,2,*, Ruthmery Pillco-Huarcaya2,3, Shirley Jennifer Serrano-Rojas2,3, Andrew Whitworth2,4 1Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, UK 2The Crees Foundation, Urbanización Mariscal Gamarra, B-5, Zona 1, 2da Etapa, Cusco, Peru 3Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad del Cusco (UNSAAC), Cusco, Peru 4Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK ABSTRACT: The only known population of Sira curassow Pauxi koepckeae resides within the Sira Communal Reserve, a chain of isolated and high-elevation outcrops of the Peruvian Andes. The species has previously been detected on just a handful of occasions, is thought to number less than 400 adult individuals and is Critically Endangered according to the International Union for Conser- vation of Nature Red List. As such, evaluating potential monitoring techniques to study the Sira curassow is of crucial importance to best inform future management strategies. We performed a preliminary assessment of camera traps to detect and collect novel ecological information on the Sira curassow. We used 17 cameras placed at regular altitudinal intervals (either 50 or 100 m) be- tween 800 and 1800 m above sea level, 2 cameras placed at important habitat features, and 2 addi- tional cameras placed on trails to assess hunting activity. Cameras were left in situ for 6 mo (March−September 2015). Sira curassows were detected at 26% of survey locations, totalling 19 in- dependent detections. This resulted in an overall occupancy estimate of 0.25 across the whole tran- sect and 0.55 across the current known elevational range. All records occurred between 1150 and 1500 m. Finally, we detail new ecological information obtained from the camera trap footage, re- address current threats to the species and provide recommendations regarding future monitoring. KEY WORDS: Cracid · Range · Juvenile · Population · Trail camera · Cryptic · Elevation INTRODUCTION populations (Dirnböck et al. 2011). While there is awareness of the greater threat to high-elevation The isolated upper reaches of mountain ranges are endemics, studying them is often hindered by their known to harbour a host of range-restricted endemic existence in remote locations with poor local infra- species not found at lower elevations (Myers et al. structure and harsh terrain. Consequently, the ecol- 2000). Such high-elevation endemics are thought to ogy, natural history and population trend of a given be under a disproportional risk from anthropogenic- species can be difficult to determine, let alone moni- induced climatic shifts, which will likely act to reduce tor for prolonged periods (Ríos et al. 2005). A clear the availability of suitable habitat and threaten small example of the paucity of information on high- © The authors 2017. Open Access under Creative Commons by *Corresponding author: [email protected] Attribution Licence. Use, distribution and reproduction are un - restricted. Authors and original publication must be credited. Publisher: Inter-Research · www.int-res.com 146 Endang Species Res 32: 145–152, 2017 elevation endemics is the case of the Sira curassow aimed to (1) assess whether terrestrial trail cameras Pauxi koepckeae, a recently described member of are an effective methodology to detect the Critically the cracid family, the most threatened family of birds Endangered Sira curassow; (2) investigate whether in the Americas (Brooks et al. 2006). The Sira curas- cameras can provide important information on the sow is endemic to the Cerros del Sira in central Peru species’ ecology, life history and conservation status; (Gastañaga et al. 2007) and Critically Endangered and (3) determine the presence of hunting activity according to the International Union for Conserva- within the study site. tion of Nature (IUCN) Red List (IUCN 2014). Previous work on the Sira curassow has estimated the population density to be less than 1 adult ind. MATERIALS AND METHODS km–2 (Gastañaga et al. 2011), which suggests that the total population size is lower than 400 adult individu- Study site als across its current known range (Gastañaga et al. 2007). However, the species has been visually de - The Sira Communal Reserve encompasses the tected on only a handful of occasions by those who Cerros del Sira, a remote high-elevation outcrop situ- have sought to study it, making accurate estimates of ated near the eastern slope of the Peruvian Andes population size difficult to determine. While tradi- (Fig. 1A). The Cerros del Sira is isolated from the tional survey techniques such as visual encounter main Andean chain by the Río Pachitea and a broad and audio transects were essential for the rediscov- swathe of lowland forests, large areas of which have ery of this species in 2005 (after 36 yr being unde- been deforested and converted to pasture (Fig. 1B; tected; Gastañaga et al. 2007), such techniques have Finer et al. 2016). The upper reaches of the Cerros del been notoriously unproductive (Mee et al. 2002, Gas- Sira reach to 2400 m above sea level (a.s.l.) (Weske & tañaga 2006, Gastañaga et al. 2007, 2011, Socolar et Terborgh 1971) and contain both lower and upper al. 2013). For example, Gastañaga et al. (2007) re - montane forest environments and elfin cloud forest ported that in 3 visits to the region between 2004 and towards the highest elevations (Forero-Medina et al. 2005, they directly observed just 3 individuals. The 2011, Socolar et al. 2013). Nineteen survey locations paucity of records of the Sira curassow is particularly were situated along a previously unstudied ridge on concerning given its highly restricted range and due the northwestern border of the Sira Communal Re- to pressure from local subsistence hunting (Socolar et serve (specific coordinates available upon re quest to al. 2013). Given the low encounter rates using tradi- the authors). The ridge is situated 5 km to the west of tional techniques and the Critically En dangered sta- the current distribution map of the Sira curassow, as tus of the species, different methodo logies must be provided by the IUCN Red List (IUCN 2014). investigated to provide up-to-date and accurate con- servation recommendations. One potential method for rapid assessments and Camera trapping monitoring of the Sira curassow (and other medium− large vertebrate fauna located in remote regions) is We deployed 21 terrestrial camera traps triggered the deployment of camera traps (O’Brien & Kinnaird by a motion detector (17 Bushnell Trophy Cam 2008, O’Connell et al. 2010). Camera traps have been 119 636 and 4 Bushnell Trophy Cam HD 119676) used previously to detail the population size, popula- across the elevational gradient, 19 for the detection tion trends, behaviour and ecology of a variety of dif- of Sira curassows and 2 to monitor hunting activity ferent bird species (O’Brien & Kinnaird 2008) and within the area. Cameras were all set at a height of have already been successfully utilised to study other between 20 and 40 cm, a height appropriate for the endangered members of the cracid family (e.g. Alves detection of other cracids (Thornton et al. 2012), with et al. 2015). As such, camera-trapping methodologies the 2 m directly in front of the cameras cleared of all have the potential to elucidate novel and otherwise ground-level vegetation. Camera traps were pro- hard-to-obtain information in the case of the Criti- grammed to work 24 h d−1 and to take a 14 s video cally Endangered Sira curassow. However, to date, each time the traps were triggered, with a minimum their utility has not been assessed. interval of 30 s between successive video triggers. We deployed 17 terrestrial camera traps across an The choice of video length and interval were chosen elevational gradient and 2 camera traps at key habi- as a compromise to maximise battery life across the tat features along a previously unsurveyed ridge 6 mo period while having a video of sufficient length within the Sira Communal Reserve. Specifically we to observe behaviour and successfully identify spe- Beirne et al.: Camera traps essential to detect a Critically Endangered bird 147 Fig. 1. Inset shows the location of the Sira Communal Reserve in Peru. (A) Elevational gradient from high-elevation areas (black = >2000 m above sea level [a.s.l.]) to low-lying areas (white = 250 m a.s.l.); the Sira Communal Reserve outline shown in blue; star denotes approximate location of the ridgeline surveyed in this study. (B) Currently known distribution of the Sira curassow according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN 2014; indicated by the filled green polygon) and canopy loss in the surrounding region from 2004 to 2015 (red dots; source data taken from Hansen et al. 2013) cies. Date and time were automatically stamped on curassow monitoring cameras, 13 functioned for the all videos. Traps were set up in mid-March 2015 and full duration (average camera days = 175.7 ± 4.8) and removed at the beginning of September 2015. This 6 malfunctioned beforehand (average camera nights time period coincides with the dry season in this re- = 89.8 ± 51.4). In total, this resulted in 2823 camera gion to reduce water-related camera malfunctions trap days. Although cameras placed at 1700 and and to safely access the study site (high rivers make 1800 m elevation were active for the majority of the the area impassable during the rainy season). Of the study, each was spun by an Andean bear Tremarctos 19 curassow monitoring cameras, 13 were placed at ornatus, after 11 and 44 d, respectively, into direc- intervals of 50 m altitude between 800 and 1400 m a.s.l.