A community-based survey of mammals in the Río Sapo basin, El Salvador

Abstract

Introduction: El Salvador is one of the most densely populated and most deforested countries of the American continent, where social insecurity make field research difficult. Here we present an experience in which rural and indigenous communities were part of a mammal survey. Objectives: To identify the mammals of Río Sapo basin, and establish the potential of local communities in scientific studies of mammals in El Salvador. Methods: We studied 17 sites in Joateca and Arambala, Río Sapo basin; 14 volunteers were organized, including local former hunters, forest owners, indigenous communities, and researchers. Fieldwork was done from August 2018 to December 2019. Mammals were identified during field visits and with camera traps. We also included the socio-cultural importance of wildlife within the Kakawira-Lenca indigenous worldview. Results: Twenty-two species were identified, including six that are threatened or endangered. We expanded the local range of Tamandua mexicana and Pecari tajacu for the department of Morazán, also, we added Glaucomys volans to the country's species list. We list traditional uses of mammals of the Kakawira-Lenca culture and report the indigenous names of 15 species. Conclusion: The participation of local communities is a valid option for field work in El Salvador, and probably in other areas where social insecurity makes field research dangerous.

Full text

UNED Research Journal (e-ISSN 1659-441X), Vol. 12(2): e3015, December, 2020
A community-based survey of mammals in the Río Sapo basin, El Salvador
José Guadalupe Argueta Rivera1 , Erwin Arquímedes Chica Argueta2 , Santos Reynaldo Argueta
Romero2 , José Pablo Argueta Romero2 , Mercedes Chica Chica3 , Mario Salvador Hernández4 ,
Juana Heriberta Cruz5, Valentín Pérez Mestanza6, Xochilt Pocasangre-Orellana7, Luis Girón8 &
Francisco S. Álvarez7,9
1. Alcaldía Municipal de Joateca, Unidad Ambiental Municipal, Morazán, El Salvador; jose1992rivera@hotmail.com;
2. Investigador comunitario, Municipio de Joateca, Morazán, El Salvador; erwinchica22@hotmail.com;
arguetasantos205@gmail.com; arguetaromeropablo@gmail.com
3. Investigador comunitario ,Municipio de Arambala, Morazán, El Salvador; m.chicachica2020@gmail.com
4. Asociación Comunal Lenca de Guatajiagua (ACOLGUA), Guatajiagua, Morazán, El Salvador;
mario.salvahernandez@gmail.com
5. Asociación Comunal Lenca de Chilanga (ACOLCHI), Chilanga, Morazán, El Salvador; juanaheribertacruz@gmail.com
6. Comunidad Indígena Kakawira (WINAKA KAKAWIRA), Cacaopera, Morazán, El Salvador;
valentin_1216@yahoo.com
7. Fundación Naturaleza El Salvador, Departamento de investigación, Colonia Escalón, San Salvador, El Salvador;
xochpoca@gmail.com
8. Asociación Territorios Vivos El Salvador, San Salvador, El Salvador; luis.egiga@gmail.com
9. UDP Ciencias Neotropicales, Departamento de Investigación, San Salvador, El Salvador;
samuel_biologo@hotmail.com
Recibido 25-II-2020  Corregido 6-V-2020  Aceptado 9-VI-2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22458/urj.v12i2.3015
ABSTRACT. Introduction: El Salvador is one of the most
densely populated and most deforested countries of the
American continent, where social insecurity make field
research difficult. Here we present an experience in
which rural and indigenous communities were part of a
mammal survey. Objectives: To identify the mammals of
Río Sapo basin, and establish the potential of local
communities in scientific studies of mammals in El
Salvador. Methods: We studied 17 sites in Joateca and
Arambala, Río Sapo basin; 14 volunteers were organized,
including local former hunters, forest owners, indigenous
communities, and researchers. Fieldwork was done from
August 2018 to December 2019. Mammals were
identified during field visits and with camera traps. We
also included the socio-cultural importance of wildlife
within the Kakawira-Lenca indigenous worldview.
Results: Twenty-two species were identified, including six
that are threatened or endangered. We expanded the
local range of Tamandua mexicana and Pecari tajacu for
the department of Morazán, also, we added Glaucomys
volans to the country's species list. We list traditional uses
of mammals of the Kakawira-Lenca culture and report the
indigenous names of 15 species. Conclusion: The
participation of local communities is a valid option for
field work in El Salvador, and probably in other areas
where social insecurity makes field research dangerous.
Keywords: Community science, distribution, indigenous
communities, Kakawira-Lenca, Morazán, wildlife.
RESUMEN. “Registro comunitario de mamíferos en la
cuenca del Río Sapo, El Salvador”. Introducción: El
Salvador es un país densamente poblado y deforestado,
donde la inseguridad social dificulta la investigación de
campo. Presentamos una experiencia en la cual las
comunidades rurales e indígenas fueron parte de un
registro de mamíferos. Objetivos: Identificar los
mamíferos de la cuenca del Río Sapo y establecer el
potencial de las comunidades locales en estudios
científicos de mamíferos en El Salvador. Métodos:
Estudiamos 17 sitios en Joateca y Arambala, Río Sapo,
durante agosto del 2018 hasta diciembre del 2019;
organizamos 14 voluntarios. Identificamos los mamíferos
durante las visitas de campo y con cámaras trampa.
También incluimos la importancia sociocultural de la vida
silvestre dentro de la cosmovisión indígena Kakawira-
Lenca. Resultados: Identificamos 22 especies, incluidas
seis que están amenazadas o en peligro de extinción.
Ampliamos el ámbito local de Tamandua mexicana y
Pecari tajacu para el departamento de Morazán , además,
agregamos a Glaucomys volans a la lista de especie del
país. Enumeramos los usos tradicionales de los mamíferos
de la cultura Kakawira-Lenca e informamos los nombres
indígenas de 15 especies. Conclusión: La participación de
las comunidades locales son una opción válida para el
trabajo de campo en El Salvador, y probablemente en
otras áreas donde la inseguridad social hace que la
investigación de campo sea peligrosa.
Palabras clave: Ciencia comunitaria, distribución,
comunidades indígenas, Kakawira-Lenca, Morazán, vida
silvestre.

UNED Research Journal (e-ISSN 1659-441X), Vol. 12(2): e3015, December, 2020
El Salvador is one of the most densely populated and most deforested countries of the
American continent (Dull, 2008). Population growth and high demand for food have caused high
deterioration of its territory, turning forests into agricultural and livestock areas, and this
degradation has led to the extirpation of most large mammals in the country (Campbell & Torres-
Alvarado, 2011; Campbell, 2015). Some authors suggest that a large part of Salvadoran ecosystems
are vulnerable and present an endangered or threatened conservation status (Crespin & Simonetti,
2015, 2016). Although ~29% of the territory is considered forest (mainly secondary forests) (MARN,
2018), the protected areas (terrestrial) system covers only ~8% (UNEP-WCMC, 2019), which
suggests that a large part of the forests and Salvadoran biodiversity is mainly in private areas
exposed to human activity.
In the northeastern area of El Salvador, during the 1980s, many lands were abandoned due
to the armed conflict, that lasted a little more than a decade, which allowed an increase in the forest
cover in the following years (Hecht, Kandel, Gomes, Cuellar, & Rosa, 2006; Hecht & Saatchi, 2007;
Clark, Aide, & Riner, 2012; Redo, Grau, Aide, & Clark, 2012). During the post-war period to date,
agricultural and livestock activity has been diminished by the phenomenon of remittances (Hecht et
al., 2006; Redo et al., 2012). However, deforestation by wood extraction, land-use change, poaching
or illegal hunting, and uncontrolled tourism is evident in this part of the country. As a response to
these problems, there are currently social organizations and local governments acting to protect its
natural resources under the local environmental governance approach, including the contribution
of Kakawira-Lenca indigenous communities. However, in El Salvador, these local actions tend to be
underestimated or usually go unnoticed by decision-makers, though there are some documented
cases in the country where local communities lead conservation efforts (e.g. Valencia, i Juncà, Linde,
& Riera, 2011; Valencia, Riera, & Boada i Juncà, 2012). Therefore, it is important to know and divulge
the link between biodiversity and local communities to develop better participatory biodiversity
management and conservation strategies at a local and national level (Berkes, Colding, & Folke,
2000; Moller, Berkes, Lyver, & Kislalioglu, 2004; Berkes, 2007).
Currently, there are efforts to study the mammals in El Salvador, however, most information
remains part of technical reports and very few get published in scientific journals (e.g. Morales
Hernández, 2002; Girón, Owen, & Rodríguez, 2010; Campbell & Torres-Alvarado, 2011; Crespín,
2011; Owen & Girón, 2012; Crespin & García-Villalta, 2014; Campbell, 2015; Pineda Peraza, Segura
Yanes, Medina Zeledón, Flores-Márquez, & López, 2017; Morales-Rivas et al., 2020), and many
times, researchers ignore the role of local communities as crucial actors in the generation of data,
despite when local actors can reduce research costs and increase the quality of information due to
their knowledge of the territory, besides offering an exchange of knowledge between researchers
and local communities (Conrad & Hilchey, 2011). Even this can favor the production of scientific
material within hostile territories dominated by drug trafficking, gangs, or illicit associations in sites
of biodiversity hot-spots, such as occurs in remote forests within the Central American region
(Sesnie et al., 2017). In El Salvador, high rates of violence and social insecurity make field research
work difficult, even the work of environmental defenders is a dangerous job in the country (Allison,
2017; Middeldorp & Le Billon, 2019). Therefore, this participatory mechanism between researchers
and local communities provides opportunities to co-produce scientific efforts within the social
context of El Salvador.
This work is the first community effort that has generated wildlife data on private properties
in forested areas of the northeastern area of El Salvador. Also, this document collects information
on the sociocultural link of wildlife to local communities. With this community science effort, we
expect to contribute to the generation of knowledge and inputs for the management and protection
of biodiversity in the territory. Therefore, this study´s main goals were a) to establish the importance

UNED Research Journal (e-ISSN 1659-441X), Vol. 12(2): e3015, December, 2020
of local communities in scientific studies in El Salvador; b) to rescue the sociocultural value of
mammalian species within the indigenous and local communities in northeastern El Salvador.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study Area: The research was carried out in the municipalities of Joateca and Arambala, in
the northeastern area of El Salvador in the department of Morazán (Fig. 1 in Digital Appendix).
Between both municipalities, an approximate area of 190,3km2 is covered. The elevation of the
study area ranges from 450-950masl, the temperature and precipitation are typical of tropical
regions, with a rainy season (May-October) and six months of the well-defined dry season
(November-April). The predominant vegetation type is the pine-oak and subtropical dry forest
association. There are very predominant rock formations in the landscape and its main sources of
water are the Río Sapo, Río Guaco, and Río Talchiga, all belonging to the Río Torola basin. Within
the department of Morazán, near the municipalities of Joateca and Arambala, there are indigenous
communities (Kakawira-Lenca) in the municipalities of Guatajiagua, Sensembra, Chilanga, San
Simón, Corinto, Lolotiquillo, Cacaopera, Yoloaiquín, and Delicias de Concepción, that impact the
territory through participation in environmental actions.
Data collection: The participation of 14 volunteers was organized, including local people
(former hunters), forest owners, indigenous communities, and researchers. The volunteers were
trained through workshops about the use of camera traps, the use of GPS, images compilation, data
processing in the computer, and species identification. Subsequently, camera traps and GPS were
provided to the volunteer team. Seventeen sampling sites were selected within the Río Sapo basin,
each site corresponding to properties of the project volunteers or private areas along the Río Sapo
basin (Table 1 in Digital Appendix). The selected sites correspond to sites with less probability of
theft of the camera traps, and they also represent sites with less delinquency or sites with less
conflict between owners and volunteers team in this research.
Fieldwork began in the dry season of April 2018 with the organization of the voluntary work
team and data were collected in the field from August 2018 to December 2019. Nine camera traps
(Cabela´s, Bushnell, and CamPark models) were used, changing sites approximately every 20-30
days to cover more area. The cameras were located at a minimum distance of 300m between them.
The sites were selected according to traces or evidence of the activity of wild mammals in the area
and experience of volunteers in the field. Sites with direct sunlight exposure and sites with high
human activity were avoided. Memory cards were checked every 20-30 days to identify mammalian
findings. The conservation status of registered species was verified according to international lists
(IUCN, CITES) and national legislation.
At the end of the fieldwork, a workshop was held with land-owners, indigenous leaders, and
researchers to identify documented species, identification of common names, traditional names of
the Kakawira-Lenca culture, traditional uses of mammals, and identification of descriptive aspects
of the habitat. Each animal was classified according to the predominant diet based on available
literature. Additionally, sightings data were obtained that were registered within the forest by the
team of researchers and volunteers. This was done to document the largest number of species that
inhabit the area, only using records of high reliability.
Habitat descriptions: To describe important aspects of the habitat of the mammal species
in the area, the type of forest cover was classified by the ecological categories that volunteers
recognized and identified according to leaf type, dominant tree species, and leaf deciduousness. For
this, participatory workshops were held where researchers and volunteers defined the forest cover
type that predominates at each site where the camera traps were placed. Five categories were
identified: Broadleaved forest (BLF; predominantly broad-leaved species always green), deciduous

UNED Research Journal (e-ISSN 1659-441X), Vol. 12(2): e3015, December, 2020
forest (DF; Deciduous species in the dry season), Riparian forest (RF), Oak forest (OF), Pine-oak forest
(POF) and Mixed forest (MF; deciduous species, broadleaf, fruit trees, and forest plantations).
RESULTS
We reported 22 species of mammals (Table 1) distributed in eight orders and 15 families in
a sampling effort of approximately 8 160 camera hours (Fig. 2-4 in Digital Appendix). The most
representative mammal order was Carnivora with 11 species. The most recorded species per sites
were Didelphis marsupialis (10 sites), Conepatus leuconotus (eight sites), and Odocoileus virginianus
(six sites), while the species Desmodus rotundus, Sylvilagus floridanus, Canis latrans, Pecari tajacu,
and Cuniculus paca were registered only in one site (Table 1). The species recorded only through
sightings by volunteers were Lontra longicaudis, Nasua narica, Procyon lotor, and Glaucomys volans.
The trophic guilds of carnivores (eight species), herbivores (two species), omnivores (six species),
insectivores (two species), frugivores (three species), hematophagous (one species) were identified
(Table 1). In the case of endangered species for El Salvador, we recorded Tamandua mexicana, Puma
concolor, Leopardus wiedii, L. longicaudis, P. tajacu, and C. paca. According to CITES status, the
species L. wiedii and L. longicaudis are included in Appendix I, and P. concolor, Puma yagouaroundi,
and P. tajacu in Appendix II. In the case of IUCN status, only L. wiedii and L. longicaudis are found as
Near Threatened (NT), and the rest of species are considered Least Concern (LC).
Regarding habitat types, Riverine Forest (RF) was the habitat with the highest species
richness (13 species /four sites), followed by Deciduous Forest (10 species / five sites), Oak Forest
(seven species / one site), Broad Leaved Forest (seven species/ three sites), and Mixed Forest (six
species/ three sites), while in Pine-oak Forest only one species was recorded at one site (Table 1).
In the Riverine Forest, we found three endangered species in El Salvador: T. mexicana, L. wiedii, P.
concolor. The Broad Leaved Forest was the only habitat where we recorded P. tajacu, the Oak Forest
the only habitat for G. volans and C. paca, and the Mixed Forest for L. longicaudis. We recorded, in
almost all identified habitats, the presence of O. virginianus and Dasyprocta punctata, species which
are known to be part of the diet of predators such as felines. The presence of cattle (Bos taurus)
within forested areas was documented, as well as sightings of feral dogs (Canis lupus familiaris),
domestic cats (Felis catus), and hunters on several occasions in locations with the occurrence of
mammals such as T. mexicana, P. yagouaroundi, P. concolor, and O. virginianus. During the study,
we did not observe any threat to domestic animals or livestock by top predators, or any other
conflict between wildlife and humans. However, through consults in communities near forests, we
detected concern for the presence of P. concolor.

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TABLE 1
List of mammalian species identified in 17 sites in the northern area of Morazán, in the period from August 2018-
December 2019
Order
Family
Scientific name
Trophic guilds
Sites
BLF
RF
DF
MF
OF
POF
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
Didelphimorphia
Didelphidae
Didelphis
marsupialis
Omnivore
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Philander
opossum
Omnivore
X
X
X
X
Cingulata
Dasypodidae
Dasypus
novemcinctus
Insectivore
X
X
X
Pilosa
Myrmecophagidae
Tamandua
mexicana
Insectivore
X
X
Chiroptera
Phyllostomidae
Desmodus
rotundus
Hematophagous
X
Lagomorpha
Leporidae
Sylvilagus
floridanus
Herbivore
X
Carnivora
Felidae
Leopardus wiedii
Carnivore
X
X
X
X
Puma concolor
Carnivore
X
X
Puma
yagouaroundi
Carnivore
X
X
X
Canidae
Canis latrans
Carnivore
X
Urocyon
cinereoargenteus
Omnivore
X
X
Mustelidae
Lontra
longicaudis†
Carnivore
X
Mephitidae
Conepatus
leuconotus
Carnivore
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Mephitis
macroura
Carnivore
X
X
X
Spilogale
angustifrons
Carnivore
X
X
X
X
Procyonidae
Nasua narica†
Omnivore
X
X
Procyon lotor†
Omnivore
X
Artiodactyla
Tayassuidae
Pecari tajacu
Frugivore
X
Cervidae
Odocoileus
virginianus
Herbivore
X
X
X
X
X
X
Rodentia
Dasyproctidae
Dasyprocta
punctata
Frugivore
X
X
X
X
Cuniculidae
Cuniculus paca
Frugivore
X
Sciuridae
Glaucomys
volans†
Omnivore
X
Total species
22
4
3
3
8
2
6
5
4
3
4
2
4
3
2
4
7
1
Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)
4
3
3
Cats (Felis catus)
2
Cattle (Bos taurus)
5
3
3
Hunter
1
1
2
Sighted reports (†). Broad Leaved Forest (BLF; 3 sites), Riverine Forest (RF; 4 sites), Mixed Forest (MF; 3 sites), Deciduous
Forest (DF; 5 sites), Oak Forest (OF; 1 site), Pine-oak Forest (POF; 1 site). Dogs, cattle, and hunters were recorded; these
values correspond to the number of times they were registered in the camera independently.

UNED Research Journal (e-ISSN 1659-441X), Vol. 12(2): e3015, December, 2020
Regarding the socio-cultural value, we rescued 15 names of mammal’s species in the
Kakawira-Potón language of the Kakawira-Lenca culture (Table 2). We reported traditional uses of
mammals that were classified into five categories: food, medicinal, worldview, artisanal (tools), and
ornamental. The use of food (12 species) was the most predominant of all the mammals identified,
followed by medicinal use (10), worldview (9), ornamental (four), and artisanal (two). Cougar (P.
concolor) and Deer (O. virginianus) stand out as protective spirits and guardians of the forest within
Kakawira-Lenca culture. These species are important within the worldview of the indigenous
community, venerated by representing a significant link between the human being and mother
earth. Although historically hunting was a source of food for these communities, this activity is not
currently carried out and its main diet comes from agricultural production. Currently, the Kakawira-
Lenca community makes conservation efforts in the territories autonomously and conservation
efforts are made through environmental education, forest restoration, and organic agriculture,
using the worldview of both cultures through the recognition of the value of species and their link
with the forest.
TABLE 2
List of mammalian species identified in the northern area of Morazán, in the period from August 2018-December 2019
Scientific name
Common name
(Salvadorean name)
Cultural
use
Kakawira**, Potón* name
Didelphis marsupialis
Tacuazín negro
F, M
Tseve*
Philander opossum
Tacuazín cuatro ojos
F, M
Tseve*
Dasypus novemcinctus
Cuzuco, armadillo
F, M, A, O, W
Ki´sukisu/kisú**, Guat*
Tamandua mexicana
Oso hormiguero
Desmodus rotundus
Murciélago vampíro
W
Mitzon*
Sylvilagus floridanus
Conejo silvestre
F, W
Kunikundi**, Mon*
Leopardus wiedii
Tigrillo
O, W
Lepa*†
Puma concolor
Puma
O, W
Lepa*†
Puma yagouaroundi
Gato zonto
F, W
Mitsikarran**, Kotan-mistu*
Canis latrans
Coyote
M, W
Wiru/wirru**, Shua*
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Zorra gris
F
Lontra longicaudis
Nutria
Conepatus leuconotus
Zorrillo espalda blanca
M
Mephitis macroura
Zorrillo listado
M
Spilogale angustifrons
Zorrillo manchado
M
Nasua narica
Pezote
F
Lanwalá**
Procyon lotor
Mapache
F, M, W
Wa´la/wala**, Guayan*
Pecari tajacu
Cuche de monte
F
Odocoileus virginianus
Venado cola blanca
F, M, W, A, O
Yan**, Akuan*
Dasyprocta punctata
Cotuza
F
Su´susu/sususo**
Cuniculus paca
Tepezcluintle
F, M
Jalab**
Glaucomys volans
Ardilla planeadora
Tasta**, Shuli*
Names in Kakawira (**) and Potón (*), (†) Name refers to the Jaguar, in the absence of the Jaguar, it can also be referred
to large cats; currently, the Jaguar (Panthera onca) is considered extinct in the country. Mammal use: Food (F),
Medicinal (M), Worldview (W), Artisanal (A), and Ornamental (O).

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DISCUSSION
In this study supported by indigenous and local communities, we have updated the
knowledge of mammals in El Salvador, increasing the species richness from 76 to 79 in the northeast
of the country and from 128 to 129 species of land mammals throughout the country (Owen &
Girón, 2012). We recorded the ~17% of the mammalian species in El Salvador and ~60% of medium-
sized mammals (Owen & Girón, 2012). The new species documented in the northeast of the country
are T. mexicana, and P. tajacu. Also, G. volans is registered for the first time in El Salvador, although
there is no specimen or photograph yet. This record was made through direct observation by a team
of researchers and has been reported by volunteers on several occasions. Due to its unique and
unmistakable characteristics (gliding capacity), different from any other animal in the sampled area,
and the proximity of our study area with the known distribution area of the species (Diersing, 1980;
Braun, 1988; Cassola, 2016; Kohler, Olson, Martin, & Anich, 2019), it was decided to incorporate as
a valid record and recognize their presence in El Salvador.
One of the most relevant findings is the record of P. concolor in six different months during
our study (April, July, August, September, October, and November 2019), becoming the study with
the most evidence of this species in the country (see Morales-Rivas et al., 2020). This species was
considered by some authors as extinct or unlikely to inhabit the country, mainly due to the demand
for large forest areas (Campbell & Torres Alvarado, 2011; Crespin & García-Villalta, 2014; Campbell,
2015; Campbell, 2019). This result suggests conditions of good ecosystem health or at least
favorable conditions for the presence of top predators (Miller et al., 2001; Ritchie, Elmhagen, Glen,
Letnic, Ludwig, & McDonald, 2012; Barry et al., 2019), although the adaptation of large predators is
also possible in disturbed ecosystems (Moss, Alldredge, Logan, & Pauli, 2016). Despite the
traditional uses of mammals in the territory, currently, local communities and indigenous people
promote the protection of wildlife. Considering the spiritual value of Cougars in the Kakawira-Lenca
culture and its recent records, an important link between beliefs and conservation of the species
can be generated. Cougars are considered guardian spirits of the forest, which can be a powerful
tool to create a positive image that helps conserve the species and natural forest that remains in
the northeast of the country.
Due to the small amount of protected area in El Salvador (less than 9% of the territory), it is
likely not enough to protect much of the biodiversity of this country, especially big predators like a
Cougar (Crespin & García-Villalta, 2014). Our findings occur outside protected areas, which supports
the proposal to generate management tools through biological corridors for biodiversity
conservation within a landscape intermixed between forests, agricultural-livestock areas, and rural
areas (Crespin & García-Villalta, 2014). Within our study area, there are efforts to establish private
protected areas through the organization of forest owners. This strategy would contribute greatly
to the survival of species through the conservation and connectivity of forest cover for El Salvador.
Future works should be aimed at structuring these proposals for this area of study. Our work
contributes to these efforts of local environmental governance and the participation of local actors
in this study generates legitimacy in the use of this information (Berkes, 2007; Conrad & Hilchey,
2011; Parsons, Goforth, Costello, & Kays, 2018; Mohedano Roldán, Duit, & Schultz, 2019).
Future efforts of wildlife conservation must consider communication strategies about the
perception of wildlife in this area, given that consultation with local communities and some
researchers, suggests there are fears or myths about some predators that can generate conflict
(Campbell & Torres-Alvarado, 2011). Despite this, our study does not identify any conflict with
wildlife, so the forest in the area can likely sustain abundant or necessary prey to support big
predators. Our results show different trophic guilds, which may suggest a balance in the ecosystem
(Terborgh & Estes, 2013), but this affirmation is open to discussion for future works. On the other

UNED Research Journal (e-ISSN 1659-441X), Vol. 12(2): e3015, December, 2020
hand, there is evidence of hunters, cattle, cats, and feral dogs in these forests, which is a warning
call for the authorities responsible for watching over wildlife, taking actions to control poaching,
watching over the health of the ecosystem, and avoiding future conflicts with wildlife. The use of
camera traps with local community volunteer support can generate important data, a fact that was
confirmed by the study, but it is important to first solve the challenges of creating a team of
volunteers with training, equipment acquisition (camera traps, computer, GPS), and financing. This
participatory effort allowed us to identify species that are difficult to detect the previous experience
of the volunteers was crucial in this study. Also, we managed to encourage community participation
and generate capacities that will be very useful in the following steps of this participatory research,
where new techniques for the documentation of other mammals such as bats and small rodents will
be included.
Finally, our results suggest that the forests of the northeastern of El Salvador has a high
mammal species richness and their conservation should be a priority for decision-makers. This is the
first initiative that exists in El Salvador, and probably one of the few efforts in the Central American
region (e.g. Arévalo, Méndez, Roberts, Alvarado, & Vargas, 2015; Monge-Nájera & Seas, 2018),
where local communities and indigenous leaders participate in the production of scientific material.
Also, we collected valuable cultural information and identified links between ancestral knowledge
and local conservation efforts of Kakawira-Lenca culture. The Kakawira-Lenca culture corresponds
to one of the most representative indigenous groups in the country. However, there is little
information about their worldview, language, and writing, due to the drastic decrease in their
inhabitants (Lemus, 2010; Pineda, 2016). This effort is probably likely to be one of the first or one of
the few available scientific documents of both cultures regarding biodiversity. This effort of involving
local communities was an opportunity to promote research and generate scientific knowledge
under a community science approach. Unlike in other areas of the country where there is usually
not a strong social organization and illicit associations predominate, the social organization
established in this territory facilitated our study. Therefore, the involvement of local communities
in this territory can be an example of successful participatory work between researchers and local
actors in El Salvador. We hope this information can be used within local conservation strategies, and
that it can promote the cultural link between the Kakawira-Lenca roots and the intrinsic value of
biodiversity in order to generate wildlife conservation participative mechanisms.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We are grateful to Asociación Territorios Vivos El Salvador, BioSistemas Network, and
Fundación Naturaleza El Salvador for providing camera traps for this research project. We are
grateful to Guanacaste Wildlife Monitoring for the technical support in this study. Also, we are
grateful for the Municipal Environmental Unit of Joateca, Jesús Santiago Chica Pereira, Julio César
Pereira Hernández, Hermes Leónidas López Ramos, Leonel Méndez, Jeffrey Colledge, and Bianca
Villacorta for their contribution to this investigation. Finally, we thank the land-owners who
permitted to access their properties.
ETHICAL, CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The authors declare that they have fully complied with all pertinent ethical and legal
requirements, both during the study and in the production of the manuscript; that there are no
conflicts of interest of any kind; that all financial sources are fully and clearly stated in the
acknowledgments section; and that they fully agree with the final edited version of the article. A
signed document has been filed in the journal archives.

UNED Research Journal (e-ISSN 1659-441X), Vol. 12(2): e3015, December, 2020
The declaration of the contribution of each author to the manuscript is as follows: J.G.A.R.,
E.A.A.R., J.P.A.R. and M.C.C.: Data collection and analysis. M.S.H., J.H.C. and V.P.M.: Data collection.
X.P-O., L.G. and F.S.A.: Data collection, data analysis, writing and review of the manuscript.
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Digital Appendix
TABLE 1.
Description of 17 sampling sites in the northern area of Morazán, in the period from August 2018-December 2019.
Sites
Latitude
Longitude
Elevation
(masl)
Forest
cover
Urban
Natural
grass
Livestock
Agriculture
Roads
Distance
to the
river (km)
Distance to
the road
(km)
A
13° 55.808'N
88° 6.200'O
675
0.01
0.88
B
13° 55.931'N
88° 6.205'O
727
0.03
1.12
C
13° 56.088'N
88° 6.134'O
725
0.05
0.95
D
13° 56.239'N
88° 6.005'O
684
0.01
1.5
E
13° 56.210'N
88° 5.860'O
691
0.02
1.45
F
13° 56.091'N
88° 5.963'O
685
0.01
1.4
G
13° 55.761'N
88° 6.102'O
664
0.03
0.79
H
13° 51.896'N
88° 5.702'O
470
0.20
3.4
I
13° 52.174'N
88° 5.502'O
429
0.06
3.15
J
13° 52.681'N
88° 5.698'O
573
0.45
3.33
K
13° 51.802'N
88° 4.990'O
455
0.07
2.13
L
13° 52.818'N
88° 5.455'O
448
0.09
3.48
M
13° 51.880'N
88° 5.558'O
397
0.03
3.13
N
13° 54.604'N
88° 4.373'O
712
2.00
0.15
O
13° 56.361'N
88° 5.789'O
700
0.27
1.99
P
13° 55.865'N
88° 4.977'O
950
1.85
1.19
Q
13° 56.807'N
88° 6.177'O
800
0.15
2.62
The land use comes of circular areas with a diameter of 250 m, taking as a central point the location of each camera traps.
The proximity to water sources and roads, which was measured in meters and km in a straight line, respectively. This was
done in a single measurement using Geographic Information System (GIS).

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Fig. 1. Study area in the municipalities of Joateca and Arambala, Morazán department, El Salvador. Dark gray polygons
represent municipalities with indigenous communities of the Department of Morazán, and green polygons represent
forest cover.

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Fig. 2. Species identified in camera traps: A) Didelphis marsupialis, B) Philander opossum, C) Dasypus novemcinctus, D)
Tamandua mexicana, E) Desmodus rotundus flying over a cow inside the forest, and F) Sylvilagus floridanus.

UNED Research Journal (e-ISSN 1659-441X), Vol. 12(2): e3015, December, 2020
Fig. 3. Species identified in camera traps: A) Leopardus wiedii, B) Puma concolor, C) Puma yagouaroundi, D) Canis
latrans, E) Urocyon cinereoargenteus, and F) Conepatus leuconotus.

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Fig. 4. Species identified in camera traps: A) Spilogale angustifrons, B) Pecari tajacu, C) Odocoileus virginianus, D)
Dasyprocta punctata, E) Cuniculus paca, and F) Canis lupus familiaris (Domestic dog).