Abstract

CASTANO, John Harold  and  CORRALES, Juan David. MAMMALS OF THE LA MIEL RIVER BASIN (CALDAS): DIVERSITY AND CULTURAL USE. Bol. Cient. Mus. Hist. Nat. Univ. Caldas [online]. 2010, vol.14, n.1, pp.56-75. ISSN 0123-3068.

This study examined the alpha and beta diversity of mammals recorded in three areas (high: 2600-3000 m, middle: 700-1200 m, and low: 400-420 m) in the La Miel River basin which is located on the eastern slope of the Cordillera Central of the Andes Mountains in the Caldas Department in Colombia. 77 species, 10 orders and 27 families were recorded. The bats were the most representative order with 45% of the species, followed by rodents (21%) and carnivores (14%). The high zone presented a lower species richness (18 spp.) than the middle zone (48 spp.) and the low zone (45 spp.). However, the upper zone had the highest proportion of exclusive species (89%), while the middle and lower zones shared less than 50% of species, which indicates high beta diversity due to species changes between altitudinal levels. Nine new mammals were recorded in Caldas; two of which are new records for the northern Andes: C. centralis and N. leporinus. 20 medium sized mammal species are used by farmers as food, medicine or ornament. The Silvery-brown Tamarin (Saguinus leucopus) is endangered and four species are vulnerable to extinction. This research demonstrates the scarcity of information on mammals in the North Andes.

Keywords : hunting; conservation; diversity; mammal assemblages; eastern Caldas.

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