Redalyc.WILD BOAR Sus Scrofa (CETARTIODACTYLA, SUIDAE) in FRAGMENTS of the ATLANTIC FOREST, SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL: NEW RECORDS
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Mastozoología Neotropical ISSN: 0327-9383 [email protected] Sociedad Argentina para el Estudio de los Mamíferos Argentina Kaizer, Mariane C.; Novaes, Camila M.; Faria, Michel B. WILD BOAR Sus scrofa (CETARTIODACTYLA, SUIDAE) IN FRAGMENTS OF THE ATLANTIC FOREST, SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL: NEW RECORDS AND POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Mastozoología Neotropical, vol. 21, núm. 2, 2014, pp. 343-347 Sociedad Argentina para el Estudio de los Mamíferos Tucumán, Argentina Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=45732861015 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative Mastozoología Neotropical, 21(2):343-347, Mendoza, 2014 Copyright ©SAREM, 2014 Versión impresa ISSN 0327-9383 http://www.sarem.org.ar Versión on-line ISSN 1666-0536 Nota WILD BOAR Sus scrofa (CETARTIODACTYLA, SUIDAE) IN FRAGMENTS OF THE ATLANTIC FOREST, SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL: NEW RECORDS AND POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Mariane C. Kaizer1, Camila M. Novaes2, and Michel B. Faria3 1 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia de Vertebrados, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Av. Dom José Gaspar 290, 30535-610, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil [correspondence: <[email protected]>]. 2 Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Av. PH. Rolfs, 36570-000, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. 3 Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais - Unidade Carangola, Praça dos Estudantes 23, 36980-000, Carangola, Minas Gerais, Brazil. ABSTRACT. The wild boar is one of the worst invasive species in the world. This study records the presence of the species in fragments of the Atlantic forest in Southeastern Brazil. These records extend the distribution of this species in the country and provide the first record in the wild, in Rio de Janeiro State. The potential impacts on the native biodiversity caused by the invasion of this exotic species are briefly discussed. RESUMEN. El jabalí Sus scrofa (Cetartiodactyla: Suidae) en fragmentos del Bosque Atlántico del sudeste de Brasil: nuevos registros e impactos ambientales potenciales. El jabalí representa una de las peores especies invasoras del mundo. Este estudio presenta nuevos registros de jabalíes en fragmentos de Bosque Atlántico en el sureste de Brasil. Se presenta el primer registro de jabalí en estado silvestre en el estado de Rio de Janeiro, ampliando la distribución de la especie en el país. Se destacan los impactos potenciales de la invasión de esta especie exótica en la biodiversidad local. Key words: Biological invasion. Conservation. Exotic species. Palabras clave: Conservación. Especies exóticas. Invasión biológica. The invasion of alien species is one of the major The wild boar, Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758, threats to biodiversity and can cause changes is classified by the International Union for in the global biota (CBD, 2014). According to Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as one of the the Convention on Biological Diversity, a spe- 100 world’s worst invasive alien species (Lowe cies is considered an invasive alien when it is et al., 2000). Native from Europe, Asia, and introduced outside its native range, becomes North Africa, the species is currently present established in the new environment, and in almost all continents, including some ocean spreads harming native species and ecosystems. islands (Oliver and Leus, 2008). The species’ Recibido 28 febrero 2014. Aceptado 10 septiembre 2014. Editor asociado: CA Galliari 344 Mastozoología Neotropical, 21(2):343-347, Mendoza, 2014 MC Kaizer et al. http://www.sarem.org.ar high plasticity of diet, ability to adapt in a first proven records of wild boars in the Brazil- wide range of environmental conditions, and ian territory is from around 1989 when wild high reproductive potential represent the main populations in Uruguay crossed the Jaguarão reasons for its success in environments where River, on the border between Brazil and Uru- it has been introduced (Taylor et al., 1998; guay, expanding their geographic range to the Rossel et al., 2001; Ditchkoff and Mayer, 2009). Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul (Deberdt A variety of impacts caused by wild boars, in and Scherer, 2007). Currently, beyond their native and introduced sites, have been recorded presence in the Rio Grande do Sul State, wild (Barrios-Garcia and Ballari, 2012). Wild boars boars have been recorded in the States of Santa show a typical behavior of rooting producing Catarina, Paraná, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso ecosystem-level effects, and therefore, are con- do Sul, Goiás, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and sidered ecosystem engineers (Crooks, 2002). Bahia (Deberdt and Scherer, 2007; Trovati and The rooting behavior directly affects the rich- Munerato, 2013). The dispersion of the species ness, abundance, and dynamics of biological in the Brazilian territory is probably the result communities living above and below ground, of legal and illegal maintenance of wild boars and may alter habitat structure and resource in captivity and their escapes or releases from availability (Cuevas et al., 2010; Barrios-Garcia farms (Deberdt and Scherer, 2007). and Ballari, 2012). Wild boars may reduce Considering the significant threats from the plant coverage, seed recruitment, and species invasion of wild boars to the biodiversity, and composition, diversity, and regeneration in the lack of studies about these impacts and the plants communities (Massei and Genov, 2004; species’ distribution in Brazil, this study regis- Barrios-Garcia and Ballari, 2012; Hegel and ters the occurrence of wild boars at the Darcet Marini, 2013). In an introduced range, wild Batalha Private Reserve (hereafter RPPN- boars affect different native animal communi- Darcet Batalha; 20°51’20.9” S, 41°56’49.4” W), ties such as invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, in Minas Gerais State, and reported the first birds, and mammals, as a result of resource species record in the wild in Rio de Janeiro competition, predation, and habitat and nest State. The RPPN-Darcet Batalha is located in destruction (Massei and Genov, 2004; Ditchkoff the Carangola River Basin, in Tombos, Eastern and Mayer, 2009; Barrios-Garcia and Ballari, Minas Gerais, bordering the municipality of 2012). In addition, they are reservoirs of several Porciúncula, Rio de Janeiro State. The reserve parasites and diseases, which can be transmitted consists of approximately 307 ha of semi-decid- to the local native fauna, livestock, and humans uous Atlantic Forest (Rizzini, 1997) surrounded (Herrera et al., 2008; Ruiz-Fonset al., 2008). by a matrix of pastures and plantations (e.g. Wild boars cause significant economic losses maize, sugarcane, bean, and eucalyptus). The and are a source of concern for policymakers climate is characterized by a distinct dry season in many countries (Pimentel et al., 2001). They from May to September and a wet season from cause damages that can amount to millions of October to April. dollars per year involving their control and The record of wild boars in the RPPN-Darcet eradication and losses in pasture, crops, and Batalha was obtained opportunistically through livestock due to predation or diseases (Pimentel the identification of 2 rooting and 1 tree rub- et al., 2001, 2005; Campbell and Long, 2009). bing occurrences, and directly through one The origin of the invasion of wild boars in camera trap (Tigrinus model 6.0c®) installed Brazil is still controversial but may have been inside the reserve between September 18 and the result of natural, accidental, and/or inten- November 19, 2010. The camera was installed tional factors. Illegal transportation of wild on a pre-existing transect of around 1400 m boars, from Uruguay to Brazil, for breeding long and programmed to take pictures every 1 and cinegetic purposes have been reported with min for 20 h per day (from 4 pm to midday). introductions in the municipality of Palmeira in Equipment maintenance and replacement of the Paraná State, in 1960 (Britto and Patrocínio, the sampling station was performed every 21 2006; Deberdt and Scherer, 2007). However, the days. Three sampling stations were used in WILD BOAR IN ATLANTIC FOREST 345 different sites inside the forest fragment, which The presence of wild boars in the region of was composed of one edge area (25 m from the Carangola Valley is the result of animals edge) and 2 interior forest areas, approximately that escaped from a commercial farm (Fazenda 350 m apart from each other. Three different Palmeiras) in the municipality of Faria Lemos, records of wild boars were obtained during 62 Minas Gerais. In mid-2002, during an inspec- days of sampling; the interval between the first tion conducted by IBAMA (Brazilian Institute and second record was 17 days, and between of Environmental and Renewable Natural Re- the second and third was 2 days. All recordings sources), several animals escaped from captivity were at night, between 21:40 and 23:48, at 2 and found refuge in the forest fragments around interior forest stations. A single adult individual the farm. According to residents from the area was recorded, but it was not possible to confirm surrounding the RPPN-Darcet Batalha, the first if it was the same individual (Fig. 1a). The records of wild boars in Tombos are from 2006. record of wild boars in Rio de Janeiro State Until 2010, besides the municipalities previ- occurred