![]() ![]() The hunting technique captured 12 pacas, whereas the conventional methods captured none, and the hunting technique proved to be as inexpensive as the least-costly conventional method. First, we used each of these methods at 11 sites in the Brazilian Amazon. Here, we introduce a scientifically standardized version of a traditional method used by hunters in the Amazon to capture pacas and compare its cost-effectiveness with conventional scientific methods. Conservation strategies for the lowland paca that depend on data from live captures have been hampered due to the elusive behavior of the species. The lowland paca Cuniculus paca is a large rodent and is one of the most hunted mammal species in the Neotropics. It is important to strengthen the park control measurements to reduce illegal hunting of Spotted Pacas. A positive correlation was found between illegal hunting activities and areas occupied by the Spotted Paca. Spotted Pacas were mainly found in areas with mature forest and high tree density, whereas the Red-rumped Agoutis were most frequently found in valleys with little disturbed forest. The occupation probability of the Red-rumped Agouti (0.61 SE 0.02) was higher than that of the Spotted Paca (0.27 SE 0.02). The relative abundance of the Red-rumped Agouti was 2.32 captures/100trap-nights, with a pronounced diurnal activity pattern. The relative abundance of the Spotted Paca was 1.62 captures/100trap-nights, with a fully nocturnal activity pattern. To achieve this, 26 camera-trap stations (20.8km2) were established in Guatopo National Park between February and April 2011, characterization of the habitat was undertaken and occupancy models were created. The objective of this study was to estimate the relative abundance, activity patterns, habitat use, and effect of human activities on these species in Venezuela. In Venezuela, their conservation status is unknown, even within protected areas. The Spotted Paca Cuniculus paca and the Red-rumped Agouti Dasyprocta leporina are affected by habitat loss and hunting. We concluded that hunting, elevation, and proximity to paved roads, all significantly impact the relative abundance index (RAI) of local agouti populations. We also found no relationship between vegetation density and agouti relative abundance (p> 0.05). Interestingly, we also found a significant inverse relationship between agouti abundance and the proximity to paved roads (p< 0.05), i.e., agouti’s relative abundance was greater at shorter distances or closer to paved roads. ![]() We found that hunting was significantly associated with lower relative abundance of agouti (p< 0.05), whereas increases in elevation had a significant positive effect on relative abundance of agouti (p< 0.05). To test the relative importance of these key ecological factors on agouti relative abundance, we conducted simple linear regressions of each covariate. As part of the first pilot survey of the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) on Trinidad, using the same camera setup, we deployed paired camera-trap stations at 10 sites in the recreational forest, and five sites in the smaller nature reserve, along a 1 km2 grid of each study site’s trail system between 24 June and 6 November 2016. We hypothesized that coarse-scale factors such as hunting, elevation, proximity to paved roads, and vegetation density, would affect the relative abundance of these two agouti populations. ![]() Our main objective here was to compare the relative abundance (RA) of agoutis (Dasyprocta leporina), an important bushmeat species, in a lowland, multi-use recreational forest surrounded by urbanization, with a former plantation that is now a protected nature reserve containing upland secondary forest. ![]() To date, however, few studies of mammal abundance in Trinidad and Tobago have been conducted. Many studies have demonstrated the importance of terrestrial mammal fauna to ecosystem functioning and services. ![]()
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