Conservation of Mammals Threatened with Extinction in Espírito Santo

elected through a call for tender that Vale Sand Research Support Foundations of the State of Espírito Santo put out in 2015, the study on "Conservation and Management of Mammals Threatened with Extinction in Fragmented Landscapes of the Atlantic Forest" uses RNV area for research on ungulates (hoofed mammals), specially the tapir (Tapirus terrestris), the collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), and the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari).

The study led by professor Sérgio Lucena Mendes from Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo) is carried out in different parts of Espírito Santo, as it includes other two subprojects: one is focused Ricardo Teles on the puma (Puma concolor) population and the other covers the northern (Brachyteles The biologist Andressa Gatti prepares a photographic trap

18 MAIS hypoxanthus), in three municipalities The selected are of the mountain region, Santa Teresa, Santa Maria de Jetibá, and characterized as key species Santa Leopoldina. as they have ecological Sérgio Lucena Mendes, a biologist functions that are essential with a master’s and doctorate degree in Ecology, respectively for the ecosystem from the University of Brasilia and the University of Campinas, was the president of the Scientific Board displacement, which is high in the complex, which has a low altitude and director of the Mello Leitão case of the jaguars, medium for (up to 100m), the vegetation fits Museum of Biology, in Espírito the ungulates and low among the the definition of Dense Lowland Santo. Currently, he is director ,” he explains. Ombrophylous Forest, known as of the National Institute of the Tabuleiro Atlantic Forest. The research sites, in turn, were Atlantic Forest (INMA, Instituto defined based on the need The species selected are Nacional da Mata Atlântica) and to understand the effects of characterized as key species professor at UFES and member of landscapes with diverse anthropic because they have ecological the Advisory Board of the Atlantic characteristics for the conservation functions that are essential for Forest Research Institute (IPEMA, of these species, through studies the ecosystem, as regulators of Instituto de Pesquisas da Mata focused on the different types prey populations (in the case of Atlântica). He comments that of habitats, populations, and the pumas and jaguars), and seed the project, financed through evaluation of different conflicts dispersers, in the case of frugivores, the tender, encompasses studies with humans. While Linhares- helping with the maintenance that were already in progress Sooretama block has the most and regeneration of the forests (in and had the opportunity to be extensive continuous forest, with the case of the muriqui and the developed with resources and disturbed and deforested areas ungulates). These species also have, support structure offered by the around it, the mountain region has as an indirect contribution, the Vale-Fapes-Faperj tender, and patches of forest, but the total of capacity to raise awareness among provides research grants for post- these areas is larger than the block. the lay audience, as charismatic graduate students, acquisition of The mountain regions are part of flagship species that attract the photographic traps and laboratory the geomorphological formation attention of the public, equipment, among other things. of the Basement complex, with especially children. “We chose to extend the studies altitudes that vary from 200m to Objectives on these based on two 1200m, in the phytogeographical criteria – they are endangered region of the Atlantic Forest; The project, which began in 2017 species and they are deemed Montane and Submontane and will run until 2020, aims to emblematic because they symbolize (Santa Maria de Jetibá), Lowland, contribute to the conservation of the anthropic impact on the fauna. Submontane and Montane (Santa these mammals, developing and These animals act as landscape Teresa), as well as Lowland and spreading models of research and detectives, complementing each Submontane (Santa Leopoldina). In conservation of endangered fauna other in many aspects, including the Vale Natural Reserve-Sooretama in fragmented environments, with

MAIS 19 ReservaMammals Natural Vale

the use of population management, More playful activities, such habitat management, environmental education and scientific as a play for children under five, popularization strategies. and field experiences in RNV For this, the first step was to obtain with school students from the the classification of the region’s land region have contributed to the use from the digital orthophoto mosaic product IEMA 2012/2015, understanding of the importance which contains aerial images of biodiversity preservation provided by the State Institute for the Environment and Water Resources (IEMA, Instituto Estadual do Meio populations are very inbred (when indispensable subsidies for the study. Ambiente e Recursos Hídricos) of mating occurs between relatives). The biologist Andressa Gatti, with a Espírito Santo. “This allows us to Consanguinity can have negative doctorate and postdoctoral degree estimate the number and size of consequences, such as animals being in Biology at UFES, has been fragments and possible connectivity less capable due to a lack of genetic interested in ungulates since she was between them. One of our proposals variability, making the translocation an undergraduate. Coordinator of is to define the best routes for of individuals necessary to promote the research into this group within the movement of the species, if genetic enrichment. With the the project, she tells us that there it were necessary to create new comparison of animals from different are more than 30 thousand images connections”, says Sérgio Lucena. patches of forest, their genetic recorded on the 48 traps installed in A stochastic model (that incorporates proximity will be evaluated for the the Linhares-Sooretama block, being probabilistic elements) will be used establishment of the relevance of analyzed in the second semester of during the project to compare translocation between groups. 2018. “On some cameras we have animal populations with the almost 1,5 thousand photos. First, Sources for genetic studies in the fragmented area. In this way, the we are evaluating the 2 thousand case of collared peccaries and probability of a species being present images taken between January and white-lipped peccaries are hair in an specific patch of forest will be March 2017, in monitoring spots and fecal samples, respectively. chosen randomly, based on 4km² estimated, based on a simulation These biological materials will allow squares. The system of squares done based on the characteristics of estimation of the population’s genetic guides the location of the sites and the landscape and the populational diversity and degree of inbreeding, keeps 2km between each of them, density of the species. as well as testing the occurrence of to maximize the probability of The laboratory and genetic study, recent population bottlenecks and capturing an image of the species. done by teams from UFES and the evaluating the genetic population A mathematical model supports Federal University of ABC (UFABC, structure of the species in the the project (see table on page 22) Universidade Federal do ABC), will Linhares-Sooretama landscape. and allows for the measurement allow for the realization of important of the ratio between the presence analyses for all of the species. In the Photographic Traps and absence of species and various case of the muriquis, for example, The use of photographic traps, variables, such as vegetation and the it will be possible to discover if the part of the research, produces proximity of highways," she added.

20 MAIS In the mountain region, evaluation is also taking place of whether the structure and configuration of different patches of forest in Mutum Preto Private the Santa Maria de Jetibá region Natural Heritage affect the functional diversity of Reserve (RPPN) Sooretama Biological species of large and medium-sized Reserve (Rebio) mammals. For this purpose, the researchers performed an analysis of hierarchical aggregation of Recanto das Antas RPPN environmental similarity of all of the patches of forest in the municipality. Then, they selected 45 patches of forest with different Vale Natural Reserve environmental characteristics, such as size, shape, interior area, Protected areas connectivity and total border, Patches of forest amongst others.

A photographic trap was installed in The orange spots indicate the places where the photographic traps were set up in the Linhares-Soortema region each selected patch of forest for the monitoring of large and medium- the most important characteristics do Jetibá, there were no records of sized mammals. In the time leading for patches of forest to be able pumas, according to Marina Zanin, up to September 2018, 14 species to keep large and medium- coordinator of the activity. However, were recognized, amongst them the sized species of alive, three wild felines were identified: paca (Cuniculus paca), the collared guaranteeing the maintenance of the little spotted cat (Leopardus anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla), the functions of the ecosystem. guttulus), the ocelot (Leopardus the collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) pardalis) and the jaguarundi and the brown brocket (Mazama Partial Results (herpailurus yagouaroundi). gouazoubira). It has already been identified that, in Regarding the genetic study of the The researchers will use generalized the five patches of Atlantic Forest in tapirs, based on DNA extraction linear models to compare the values which muriquis are being monitored, from fecal samples, up to now, 40 found for functional diversity and the number of animals is higher individuals are estimated to be the structure and configuration of than initially expected. According to the patches of forest in question estimates, there are 100 individuals in the Linhares-Sooretama block. With these analyses, it will be from at least two groups, which “Despite the difficulty of working established if the structure of is especially important as females with non-invasive samples, there is the patches of forest is affecting migrate from group to group to a lot of hope that new individuals the functional diversity of the procreate. The more groups there will be identified. And, up until now, local communities of large and are, the greater the chance of their the results have revealed moderate medium-sized mammals. Then, the expansion. In the first stage of the genetic diversity for the sampled researchers will be able to point to monitoring of felines in Santa Maria individuals”, Andressa Gatti reports.

MAIS 21 Mammals

Regarding awareness, 70 residences in the region of Linhares-Sooretama Researchers have been visited to meet with the Name Institution Title occupants and give them a calendar to note down the dates on which Federal University Sérgio Lucena Mendes Doctor the animals are seen. This exchange, of Espírito Santo coordinated by biologist Danielle Federal University Yuri Luiz Reis Leite Doctor de Oliveira, is extended to farmers of Espírito Santo and elements of it will help for the Federal University creation of a plan for the reduction Ana Paula Cazerta Farro Doctor of Espírito Santo of conflict between people and animals. More playful activities, such Federal University Leonora Pires Costa Doctor as a play for children under five, and of Espírito Santo field experiences in RNV with school Federal University students from the region have Andressa Gatti Doctor of Espírito Santo contributed to the understanding Wildlife Conservation of the importance of biodiversity Alexine Keuroghlian Doctor preservation. Society Pantanal

Federal University “The access to the forest provided Cibele Biondo Doctor of ABC by the Vale Natural Reserve is very good, as is the support of the local Federal University Danielle de Oliveira Doctor team and the joint work that we of Espírito Santo are doing aimed at education and Doñana Biological Francisco Palomares Doctor the spread of scientific information, Station which includes the use of social Federal University media. I believe that the partnership Jade Huguenin Rios Graduate of Espírito Santo with companies broadens the possibilities for doing innovative University Karen Barbara Strier Doctor research, that benefits society”, of Wisconsin Andressa comments. Federal University Letícia Almeida Moura Graduate The studies are also making the of Espírito Santo academic development of the Federal University Maria Cecília Martins Doctor researchers possible. There is a of Espírito Santo master’s student, four doctoral Federal University students and one postdoctoral Marina Zanin Doctor of Maranhão student on the project, as well as three graduates that will produce Federal University Maria Otávia Crepaldi Doctor monographs in 2018 based on the of Vale do São Francisco research done. The first scientific Federal University articles on the project are expected Paula Modenesi Ferreira Graduate of Espírito Santo to be published in 2019.

22 MAIS Model of Occupancy

or the construction of the models of occupancy, the Fdata collected in the field, in this case the records of the photographic traps, is necessary. Each five days of records is considered to be one occasion, meaning that during the 50 day study there was a total of 10 occasions. From there, records were constructed for the detection of each species (H), and for each photographic trap site for each area, for each sampling occasion, using a grid with a binary coding of “0” or “1”, in which “1” indicates the detection of the species and “0” indicates non-detection.

For example: the history of detection for site i of one species in the first, second and forth occasions during one season is codified by the vector

Hi =11010, and the probability Ricardo Teles of detection is calculated by Pr (Hi = 11010) = Ψ p1p2(1-p3)p4(1-p5), Area of study within Vale Natural Reserve in which Ψ is the parameter for the probability of occupancy and pi is the variable, the probabilities of and detection are calculated the probability of detection during occupancy psi (Ψ) and detection through logistic regressions the sampling occasion in site i. (p), are calculated, building different (logit link function) of the Then, to establish the probability models with different combinations predictor variables. of detection and occupancy of of variables. After the construction tapirs, collared peccaries and of various possible models, the Further Information white-lipped peccaries, available analysis provides the ranking of the To better understand the programs for this purpose are used, best models tested (or, of the best model of occupancy, visit such as Presence, Mark or scripts combinations of the variables), to http://www.uvm.edu/rsenr/vtcfwru/ to be used in program R (statistical explain the occupancy (presence) spreadsheets/?Page=occupancy/ programming software). Based of the species in the landscape as a occupancy.htm. on the history of detection and whole. The estimates of occupancy

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