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Crawling towards species conservation: First Pumas monitored by Global Positional System at Brazilian anthropized Cerrado

Authors:
Wild Felid Monitor Winter 201314
Notes from the field
Crawling towards species conservation
First pumas monitored by Global Positional System at Brazilian anthropized Cerrado
Fernanda Cavalcanti de Azevedo, Programa de Conservação Mamíferos do Cerrado (PCMC). Rua Vereador Nicomedes
Nunes, 135/casa 10, Bosque, 38.446-000, Araguari-MG. cavalcantifer@yahoo.com
Frederico Gemesio Lemos, PCMC & Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG) / Campus Catalão / Departamento de Ciências, Biológicas.
Avenida Lamartine P. Avelar, 1120 Bloco K, sala 7, Setor Universitário, 75.704-20, Catalão-GO. gemesio@uol.com.br
Ricardo Corassa Arrais, PCMC & Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal / Faculdade de
Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia / Universidade de São Paulo
Caio Filipe da Motta Lima, PCMC
Rogério Cunha de Paula, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros (CENAP) / Instituto Chico Mendes de
Conservação da Biodiversidade.
The Cerrado is the most diverse tropical savanna in the world
and home of nearly 160,000 species, including endemic ora
and fauna, which makes it one of 25 global conservation hotspots
(Myers et al. 2000). e second largest Brazilian biome, it extends
over eight States, particularly in the Central Western, compris-
ing entire Goiás and most parts of Minas Gerais States. At Minas
Gerais, Cerrado holds with the Atlan-
tic Rainforest (Mata Atlântica) 60% of
Brazilian mammals, which originally
corresponded to almost 300 species, in-
cluding pumas (Puma concolor), hoary
foxes (Lycalopex vetulus), giant arma-
dillos (Priodontes maximus) and others
(Paglia et al. 2012).
Despite its ecological importance,
in the past 35 years the Cerrado has
been extensively altered for agriculture
and cattle ranching, with more than
80% of the ecosystem directly used by
humans. Such habitat loss and frag-
mentation have been indicated as the
most important factors in the process
of extinction of several Neotropical taxa
(Fonseca et al. 1994, Paglia et al. 2012).
Unplanned development of this rich ecosystem and intense human
occupation pose signicant threats to wildlife, especially wild car-
nivores, which besides their extreme sensitivity to environmental
changes are also persecuted due to conicts with humans and live-
stock (Morato et al. 2009).
Among such threatened wildlife, the puma is the second larg-
est cat of the Americas and has the widest Neotropical terrestrial
mammal distribution, occurring from southern Canada to south
of South America (Hornocker & Negri 2010). is distribution re-
ects very important adjustments of the species, being able to in-
habit forests, swamps, mountains, and deserts. However, in some
countries it is a threatened species and in many regions free-ranging
puma populations are decreasing (Hornocker & Negri 2010).
Pumas are listed as Near reatened by the Brazilian Red List
of reatened Species, with P. c. greeni and P. c. capricornensis both
classied as Vulnerable (Chiarello et al. 2008). In Minas Gerais,
São Paulo, Paraná and Rio de Janeiro it is classied as Vulnerable
(Mikish & Berlins 2004, Morato et al. 2009, Biodiversitas 2012)
and in Rio Grande do Sul as Endangered (Marques 2002). e spe-
ciesmajor threats seem to be habitat loss, low prey availability, ve-
hicle strikes, and retaliatory killing from livestock depredation and
prejudice (Crawshaw Jr. & Quigley 2002, Mazzolli et al. 2002).
Despite few studies about diet, basic ecological data such as habitat
preference, home range and population dynamics have been poorly
assessed in the country.
e Triângulo Mineiro
Puma Project, created in 2009
by the Programa de Conservação
Mamíferos do Cerrado (PCMC)
started with primary objectives
to assess the ecology of Cerrado
pumas and collect data to pro-
mote species management and
conservation throughout frag-
mented landscapes in southeast-
ern and central Brazil. Activi-
ties have been focusing on puma
density, home-range, responses
to habitat quality and human ac-
tivities, genetics, health and epi-
demiological risks from contact
with domestic animals, threats to
survival, and prey availability. Another goal is to quantify and de-
scribe predation upon livestock and develop methods to avoid con-
icts between this large predator and humans.
e study area comprises private ranches along the Araguari
River in the Paranaíba River Basin, Araguari municipality, Triân-
gulo Mineiro region, Minas Gerais State. With more than 30.000
hectares, the study area was originally a mosaic of physiogno-
mies, from open grasslands, through Cerrado stricto sensu, decidu-
ous and semi-deciduous forests, to veredas (wet elds). Currently,
it is a combination of small patches of Cerrado on a matrix of pas-
tures and coee, soybean and sugar cane elds, crossed by paved
roads (Figure 1). e proximity with Araguari puts wildlife in close
contact with humans and domestic animals. Studies conducted by
PCMC indicate the presence of a high diversity of medium and
large-sized mammals suggesting the area is important to other con-
nected regions. However, studies on carnivores and conservation
are urgent and necessary in the region.
Puma concolor Vera captured in February 2011.
Photo by F. G. Lemos.
Figure 2. Programa de Conservação Mamíferos do Cerrado team with the third Puma con-
color captured, named Seu Pantera in Feb 2011 (l to r: Frederico Souza, Frederico Lemos, Fer-
nanda Azevedo, Mozart Freitas Júnior, Alan Grilo, Ricardo Arrais). Photo by PCMC
Wild Felid Monitor Winter 2013 15
Since 2009 Triângulo Mineiro Puma Project captured seven
pumas (three adult males, 1 subadult male, 3 subadult females),
from which three were equipped and monitored through Global
Positional System (GPS) / Very High Frequency (VHF) collars
(LOTEK Wireless Fish and & Wildlife Monitoring; models 4400S
and 4500S). Individuals were captured through foot-loops installed
at previous known trails (N = 5 captures), box traps (N = 1) and
one casually dog chase (N = 1). All captures were conducted with
a assistance of a veterinarian and followed the requisites of Animal
Care and Use Committee (Figure 2). Camera-trapping from 2009
and 2011 conrmed the presence of all captured individuals and of
at least six more untagged adult individuals in the area.
To our knowledge and according to the Centro Nacional de Pes-
quisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros (CENAP), these are the
rst pumas monitored by GPS technology in Brazil. After monitor-
ing Male No. 1 for nine months (more than 600 locations), Male
No. 2 for 12 months (30 locations), and Male No. 3 for 10 months
(more than 600 locations and still being monitored), preliminary
data indicate that pumas are very dependent on reminiscent islands
of original vegetation, which in the study area are restricted to very
small fragmented private protected areas. Even small patches (100
300 hectares) and forest strips (minimum of 50 meters wide), with
a minimum vegetative cover, are used by pumas and seem to repre-
sent potential places for foraging, shelter, and mating. Many prob-
ably also function as dispersal corridors or stepping
stones. When the genetic analysis on captured in-
dividuals is nished, we will be able to determine
if these cats are in contact with other neighboring
pumas. Data from GPS-collared pumas will also
help us assess travel and dispersal routes between
habitat patches and regions, and improve our un-
derstanding of pumas spatial ecology and behavior
at an anthropized area.
Puma monitoring may also help to identify
strategic crossing points along highways, and po-
tential sites for building wildlife corridors to reduce
puma vehicle collisions, which we documented
during our research (two subadult females and one
adult male struck and killed during 2012). At least
ve adult pumas are also killed annually by farm-
ers and cowboys who blame them for preying on
domestic animals. By comparing data from puma
locations and diet (fecal analysis and prey carcass
encounters) with prey availability (provided by camera-
trapping), we will be able to create a prole of puma preda-
tion upon domestic animals in the study site. is may help
us develop eective strategies to work with the local com-
munity in order to minimize losses caused by predators and
reduce predator-human conicts.
Finally, preliminary data raised during these three
years have been useful to assess the pumas conservation
status in the Triângulo Mineiro region. During the Decem-
ber 2011 Workshop for the National Action Plan for Puma
Conservation (ICMBio 2011), data from Araguari was used
to run a Vortex model specically for this studied popula-
tion. Results indicated that, according to the mortality rate
due road killing and conict, pumas may be extirpated in
the municipality this century, if nothing is done.
Among several carnivore species, the puma is an adapt-
able cat and plays the role of top-predator in most major
Neotropical ecosystems. Its wide distribution, the particularities
on its ecology and behavior, and the challenges to its conservation,
make the puma a good model and indicator of success of conser-
vation programs. Besides, umbrella species conservation posi-
tively and directly aects habitat and conservation of other species.
e next Triângulo Mineiro Puma Project actions include capturing
and collaring more up to 10 more pumas during 2013, camera-trap
monitoring, biological samples collection (scats and blood), and ed-
ucational initiatives in order to improve the quality of life for both
pumas and humans. However, many more projects, government ef-
forts and public support are urgently needed in other regions of Cer-
rado and Brazil in order to assure the preservation of this magni-
cent but misunderstood predator.
PCMC is grateful to Consórcio Capim Branco de Energia its
support, specically the Triângulo Mineiro Puma Project, and to
Neotropical Grassland Conservancy for providing some of the
equipment. We are also indebted to CENAP for helping with vet-
erinarian sta and supplies, and to our eld team compañeros Alan
Grilo Nilo da Costa, Mozart C. de Freitas Júnior, Frederico A. de
Sousa, Daniel Rocha and Hugo C. M. Costa for all their eort and
commitment to puma conservation at Cerrado. Dr. Kátia G. F. Gi-
aretta provided valuable comments to the text.
Contact authors for literature cited §
Figure 1. Study area, municipality of Araguari, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. e
area is a mosaic of Cerrado islands in a matrix of anthropized habitats. Photo by
F. G. Lemos.
... Trapping large-bodied wild cats is remarkably difficult, particularly in human-dominated landscapes, where species are adapted to avoid people. Our study reports data on the first pumas monitored by GPS radio-collars in Brazilian savanna non-protected areas (Azevedo et al., 2013a) and considering the low density puma population in our study site, six ...
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