Abstract

CARVAJAL-NIETO, Pamela; GIRALDO, Alan  and  PLESE, Tinka. POPULATION DENSITY AND SOME ASPECTS OF THE HABITAT USE OF THREE TOED SLOTH (Bradypus variegates) IN AN INSULAR ZONE OF BIOGEOGRAPHIC AREA OF CHOCÓ - COLOMBIA. Bol. Cient. Mus. Hist. Nat. Univ. Caldas [online]. 2013, vol.17, n.1, pp.101-110. ISSN 0123-3068.

The exhuberant tropical rain forest present in the biogeographic area of Chocó is one of the main diversity hot spots in the planet. In this environment, the arboreal mammals suit an important role by connecting the different forest stratums. This research was carried out in Isla Palma (Bahía Malaga, Valle del Cauca) where the unique arboreal mammal reported is Bradypus variegatus (Three toed sloths). With the purpose of widening knowledge of this species in insular areas of the biogeographic Choco, five sampling field trips were conducted during 2008, in which aspects related with the habitat use were recorded and population density was estimated using the Distance 6.0 software. Probably, the absence of natural predators, the absence of direct competitors, and the restricted access of human beings to this insular locality have favored the recordings of population density of B. variegates, in Isla Palma in 71,7 ind/Km² (IC 95 %= 43,1- 119,3 ind/Km²),being the highest second population recorded for the especies.

Keywords : Bradypus variegatus; population density; habitat use; insular environments; Colombian biogeographic Chocó.

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