Biologia e conservação do lobo-guara na Estação Ecologica de Aguas Emendadas, DF

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2002

RESUMO

The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) it is the largest canid of South Arnerica. Characteristic of open habitats, the species is threatened with the transformation of the fields in agricultural are as and, today, in spite of the wide distribution, they have to work with the difficulties of living in fragmented areas. Most of the Conservation Units of the Cerrado are small and possibly they don t have enough area to maintain a healthy population of the species. Therefore, it is necessary to know the ecology and behavior of maned wolves in these small reserves. The aim of this work is to obtain data on the diet, movement pattems, genetic variability and main factors of risk for the population of a small Conservation Unit of the Cerrado, the Águas Emendadas Ecological Station, Distrito Federal, Brazil. The results confirm a varied diet, composed of animal and vegetal items. The lobeira fruit is the main food of maned wolf, important as much in frequency as in weight. Other items, as small mammals and armadillos were also important. The lobeira is also important for supplying the need of fruits in the diet of the wolves in times of fruits shortage, preventing the threats of an excess of protein in the diet. On the other hand, the wolf is the main dispersor of the seeds of this fruit, despite it s consuption by other species and their capability to disperse the seeds. The home ranges of the wolves were large, and females tended to have larger are as than the males. The great size of the home ranges and the territorial characteristic of the species disable that great densities are reached, and I estimate that at the most five couples are resident in the area of the reserve. This number is small to maintain a long term viable population and therefore we already detected a loss of genetic variability by the population, if compared with samples obtained of wolves from different areas. Also due to the large area, the wolves are forced to leave constant1y of the Conservation Unit to assist its ecological needs, what tums them susceptible to several risks. This was the main cause of mortality founded, responsible for the loss of approximately the equivalent of half of the annual production of cubs (considering an average of two cubs). I did, without success, translocation of three individuaIs to test this management toei for maintenance of the genetic variability of the population. None of the three animaIs stayed in the area for more than three days. Consequently, the main risks for the population are: 1) the continuation of the process of isolation of the reserve, for increase of agricultural areas and, mainly, of urban areas, with consequences to the genetic variability (isolation of other populations) and in the direct pressure on the individuaIs (decrease of useful are as in the surroundings of the Station where they can range, an increase of hunting and invasion of domestic animaIs); 2) road kills

ASSUNTO(S)

ecologia carnivoro mamiferos lobo - controle

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