Abstract

MOSQUERA-MUNOZ, Diana Marcela; CORREDOR, Germán; PEDRO, Cardona  and  ARMBRECHT, Inge. CAMERA TRAPPING FOR WALKING BIRDS AND ASSOCIATED MAMMALS IN FARALLONES DE CALI FOOTHILLS. Bol. Cient. Mus. Hist. Nat. Univ. Caldas [online]. 2014, vol.18, n.2, pp.144-156. ISSN 0123-3068.

Camera trapping has been used in studies of animal ecology, behavior and conservation as a tool to gain valuable information about biodiversity and behavior of wild organisms. In order to examine the relative abundance and activity patterns of walking birds and associated mammals, 15 camera traps were installed in the foothills of the PNN Farallones de Cali between January and November 2013. This area, which is between 1,100 and 1,300 masl, is highly threatened by deforestation and the urban expansion of Cali. Twenty species, representing 83% of the fauna expected for the area were recorded according to the Jack -1 estimator. The dominant species were the Central American agouti (Dasyprocta punctata), the grey-necked wood rail chilacoa (Aramides cajanea) and the black ear edopossum (Didelphis marsupialis). The domestic dog, with 129 photos was the fourth most abundant. Most walking birds used more the forest habitat than the scrub habitat, with the notable exception of the little tinamou. However, both habitats are complementary and important for conservation. This study increases the distribution range in altitude for Odontophorus hyperythrus. It was also found that walking birds are mainly diurnal and some domestic and wild mammals overlap this activity, being potential predators or competitors. This study provides direct evidence of the high value of natural habitats, forests and scrubs for the conservation of wildlife in a tropical area of high biological value and which is sensitive to human disturbance at the immediate time scale.

Keywords : Colombian Andes; Crypturellus soui; Geotrygon montana; Odontophorus hyperythrus; activity patterns; inter-specific relationships; little tinamou.

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