Franklin Enrique Castañeda

Panthera · Jaguar program

Aim Planning conservation action requires accurate estimates of abundance and distribution of the target species. For many mammals, particularly those inhabiting tropical forests, there are insufficient data to assess their conservation status. We present a framework for predicting species distribution using jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), a...

Context Preserving functional connectivity is a conservation priority to secure the long-term viability of geographically dispersed subpopulations, such as the jaguar (Panthera onca) populations in Central America. However, managing connectivity in this region is limited due to the scarcity of local assessments of the connectivity between existing...

We report the first camera-trap photographic record of a melanistic jaguar Panthera onca for northern Central America. Previous records had been reported from Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and South America. Jaguars are extinct in El Salvador, and extensive camera trap surveys in Guatemala, Belize and Nicaragua have not documented melanistic jaguars....

We report the first camera-trap photographic record of the puma Puma concolor in Cusuco National Park, Honduras, in the Merendón Mountain Range on the border of Honduras and Guatemala. This is the first conclusive evidence of puma presence in this area, despite extensive surveys carried out over the past 17 years. Similarly, the first and only jagu...

Cloud forests are amongst the most biologically unique, yet threatened, ecosystems in Mesoamerica. We summarize the ecological value and conservation status of a well-studied cloud forest site: Cusuco National Park (CNP), a 23,440 ha protected area in the Merendón mountains, northwest Honduras. We show cnp to have exceptional biodiversity; of 966 t...

The Xenarthra are one of the least studied mammalian groups in Honduras. Their ecology, natural history, and distribution in the country are poorly known. Here we compile and discuss, for the first time, the available information about the seven species of Xenarthra that occur in Honduras. We also present new distribution records and comment on the...

Large mammalian herbivores are experiencing population reductions and range declines. However, we lack regional knowledge of population status for many herbivores, particularly in developing countries. Addressing this knowledge gap is key to implementing tailored conservation strategies for species whose population declines are highly variable acro...

INTRODUCCIÓN El jaguar (Panthera onca) ha ocupado un lugar preponderante en la cultura y la naturaleza de Honduras. Los mayas le rindieron homenaje que se puede apreciar en piedra tallada, jeroglíficos y dibujos, en Copán durante su periodo (siglos V-IX), que es uno de los sitios más importantes de esta cultura en Mesoamérica (Marineros y Véliz, 20...

The umbrella species concept posits that protection of a single, wide-ranging species may confer protection to a large number of sympatric species. Due to their large home ranges, widespread distribution in the Mesoamerican Biodiversity Hotspot (MBH), and status as the focal species of numerous conservation initiatives, the jaguar Panthera onca is...

Neotropical cloud forests are one of the most biodiverse yet threatened ecosystems with deforestation and hunting creating major problems. We report a non-volant mammal species inventory for Cusuco National Park, Honduras, spanning 2006-2016. Data were collected using 4 methods: tracks and signs, camera trapping, direct sightings and live trapping....

Broad scale population estimates of declining species are desired for conservation efforts. However, for many secretive species including large carnivores, such estimates are often difficult. Based on published density estimates obtained through camera trapping , presence/absence data, and globally available predictive variables derived from satell...

Pearson correlation matrix for jaguar density estimates (dependent variable) and a set of predictive variables. (DOCX)

Spatial distribution of the posterior standard deviations of adjusted jaguar density estimates. (DOCX)

Estimates of jaguar populations within protected areas by current range countries. (DOCX)

Spatial distribution of the posterior standard deviations of estimated probabilities of jaguar occurrence. (DOCX)

Density estimates and other relevant data used for the analysis of spatial variation in jaguar population densities. (DOCX)

Candidate predictive variables used in the spatial analysis. (DOCX)

Pearson correlation matrix for the jaguar occurrence (dependent variable) and a set of predictive variables. (DOCX)

Estimates of jaguar population across historical range. (DOCX)

Discussion of possible effect of increased pixel size of covariate layers on the precision of population size estimates. (DOCX)

Simulation to validate hierarchical model; methods and associated R code. (DOC)

Spatial distribution of the posterior standard deviations of jaguar potential density estimates. (DOCX)

Excel database containing presence—absence data used for modelling probability of jaguar occurrence. (RAR)

1. Evaluating range-wide habitat use by a target species requires information on species occurrence over broad geographic regions, a process made difficult by species rarity, large spatiotemporal sampling domains, and imperfect detection. We address these challenges in an assessment of habitat use for jaguars (Panthera onca) outside protected areas...

The Greater Grison (Galictis vittata) is considered the rarest and least-studied small carnivore in Mesoamerica. In recent years, camera traps have become a useful tool to achieve firsthand data about such rare and cryptic animals. Although there has been a large combined effort of camera-trapping performed across Mesoamerica, the Greater Grison is...

Large mammals are elusive, often nocturnal, and therefore difficult to study. In many parks, reserves, agriculture lands, and other human-dominated landscapes, mammalian abundance is unknown despite their importance to ecosystems. The Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve of eastern Honduras has been the site of much research, but many rivers within the re...

Se evaluó la diversidad de mamíferos medianos y grandes en fincas de cacao en el este de Honduras.

Little research has described jaguars Panthera onca as scavengers. Here we report a scavenging event on a marine dolphin carcass on the northern Honduran coast. After a dead dolphin was washed ashore a jaguar dragged the carcass 35 m into the forest. We installed and kept functional camera traps for 51 days on site. Two male jaguars were detected 1...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8cfch4k2noi4ljz/HR44%282%29290-335NaturalHistoryNotesOPT.pdf?dl=1

Almost half of the endemic species of Honduran amphibians have declining populations; some of which seem to be extinct since they have not been seen in several years in places where they were once common. Disappearances in pristine and protected habitats have occurred in several highland localities throughout the country. The highland amphibian fau...

A new species of hylid frog is described from the Sierra de Omoa of northwestern Honduras. The new species differs from all other small (< 26 mm SVL) Nuclear Middle American hylids in having 7-10 large black spines on the thumb in males and the bones visible through the translucent skin of the posterior part of the dorsum in life.

Seventy-three species of amphibians and reptiles (six salamanders, 20 anurans, 20 lizards, and 27 snakes) are known from Parque Nacional Pico Bonito, Honduras. The physiography, climate, vegetation, and microhabitats of the park are briefly described. Forty-four species are recorded from Lowland Moist Forest, 45 from Premontane Wet Forest, and 14 f...