Ungulate relative abundance in hunted and non-hunted sites in Calakmul Forest (Southern Mexico)

The relative abundance of an ungulate community in hunted and non-hunted areas was studied in Calakmul, a tropical forest in southern Mexico that includes a 723,815 ha Biosphere Reserve where no hunting is allowed and communal lands where hunting activity does take place. Tapir, white-lipped peccary (WLP), collared peccary, two species of brocket deer and white-tailed deer were the focal species. Relative abundance of ungulates was obtained by counting tracks along transects in three hunted sites and in the southern core area of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, a enforced part of the protected area of 350,000 ha where no hunting has been-permitted since 1989. A total of 1708 ungulates tracks were obtained along 206.1 km (n = 90 transects) divided among the four sites. Relative abundance of the species was estimated from the track encounter rate (TER) calculated as the number of tracks per species encountered per km of transect. No significant differences in brocket deer and collared peccary TER was found among hunted and non-hunted areas. TER for WLP was significant higher in the non-hunted area, while TER for white-tailed deer and tapir was significant higher in hunted sites. Hunting activity affected the ungulate species in Calakmul differently. Brocket deer, white-tailed deer and collared peccary are more resistant species toward the hunting pressure than the WLP, who needs an immediate protection plan throughout Calakmul. Hunting areas are important habitat refuges for tapir populations and they should be protected in these areas.

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Resumen La abundancia relativa de seis especies de ungulados fue obtenida a través de conteos de huellas a lo largo de transectos en tres sitios con cacería y en la parte sur de la Reserva de la Biosfera de Calakmul, una área de alrededor de 350,000 ha donde la cacería ha sido prohibida desde 1989. Tapir, pecarí de labios blancos, pecarí de collar, dos especies de venados temazates y el venado cola blanca fueron las especies estudiadas. Un total de 1708 huellas de ungulados fueron obtenidos a lo largo de 206.1 km (90 transectos) divididos en los cuatro sitios. La abundancia relativa de las especies fue estimada por medio de la tasa de encuentro de huellas (TEH) calculado como el número de huellas encontradas por km de transecto recorrido. La TEH de los venados temazates y el pecarí de collar fue similar entre las áreas con cacería y sin cacería. La TEH para el pecarí de labios blancos fue significativamente mayor en el área sin cacería, mientras que la TEH del venado cola blanca y el tapir fueron significativamente mayor en los sitios con cacería. La actividad de cacería afecta a las especies de ungulados diferente en la región de Calakmul. Los venados temazates, el venado cola blanca y el pecarí de collar están resistiendo mejor la presión de cacería que el pecarí de labios blancos quien necesita un plan inmediato de protección en toda el área. La evidencia sugiere que las áreas con cacería en este estudio son importantes para las poblaciones de tapir, y que se debe prestar atención a su protección en dichas áreas.

     

Dental characters of the Quaternary tapirs in China, their significance in classification and phylogenetic assessment

Most of the Quaternary tapir fossils from China are isolated teeth. The purpose of this paper is to identify them and to extract systematic and evolutionary information from them. Based on morphology and W/L ratio, isolated teeth can be identified successfully. On the whole, the identification of P¹, M³ and P₂ is believed to be reliable, while it is difficult to distinguish P₃ from P₄, M₁ from M₂ etc. Concerning the variations of the teeth, P¹ is the most variable one in dimension. In the Quaternary tapirs in China, some dental characters can be used as reliable indicators to evaluate their evolutionary levels. The degree of the atrophy of the upper canine relative to the caniniform I³ is reflected in the C/I³ diameter ratio, which is decreasing during evolution. P¹ changes considerably in outline and strength of the hypocone. Some forms are without hypocone, such as Tapirus sanyuanensis, some have a very faint hypocone, such as Tapirus indicus; although most of them show a developed hypocone. For other cheek teeth, the W/L ratio is decreasing through geologic time. Two lineages can be tentatively proposed: one is the Tapirus peii-Tapirus sinensis-Megatapirus augustus progression; the other is the T. sanyuanensis-T. indicus lineage. T. sanyuanensis and T. peii stand on the base, and it is very probable that the latter is more primitive.     

A Case Study of Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus) Husbandry Practice Across 10 Zoological Collections

The Malayan, or Asian, tapir (Tapirus indicus) has a diminishing wild population and is becoming more common in captivity as zoos attempt to manage sustainable ex situ populations. Tapirs can be relatively easy to maintain and breed, but captive animals appear to suffer from reduced activity budgets, obesity, and poor public image. A questionnaire‐based survey was designed and sent specifically to 10 collections around the world that exhibit Malayan tapirs, with the aim of assessing husbandry regimes to determine prevalence of standardized practices as well as highlighting any key differences, and to showcase good practice, thus providing information beneficial to those maintaining this species in their zoo. Twenty‐five animals were included in the survey from collections across four continents. The research's major conclusions show differing dietary make‐up, with a lack of forage provision, contrasting with a diverse array of enrichment protocols used. Significant differences were noted between zoos for total amount of food offered (P = 0.000) as well as ratios of forage to concentrate pellet offered (P = 0.004). Comparing food offered to male and female tapirs with published requirements for an “average” of either gender shows not all zoos providing the amount suggested in husbandry guidelines. Intelligently designed and original enrichment was provided to all animals but differences between zoos were noted in the application and “usefulness” of enrichment for individual tapir. Overall, animals are benefiting from enrichment but welfare could be further improved via consistent feeding of ad libitum forage and regular use of browse as a constituent part of daily rations. Zoo Biol. 32:347–356, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Distribution and conservation status of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in Peru

The mountain tapir Tapirus pinchaque is one of the largest and most threatened mammals of the northern South American Andes. It is distributed in montane forests and paramos mainly above 2000 m, from Colombia to north Peru. The species is categorised as globally Endangered and is mainly threatened by habitat degradation, habitat loss and fragmentation. Although up-to-date information is lacking in Peru on its distribution, population and conservation status, this population could play an important part in the global persistence of the species. We compiled all known recent occurrence records for the species from Peru, as well as data from camera traps with an effort of over 10,000 camera/days between 2016 and 2018. We modelled the tapir’s distribution using remote-sensed vegetation indices, topographic and bioclimatic variables in MaxEnt, followed by post-processing steps to remove unoccupied areas, to produce a current range map for the species in Peru. We overlaid this with spatial information on threats and protected areas. We estimate a range of almost 183,000 ha in Peru, in two main regions, north and south of the Huancabamba river, of which approximately 60% is within protected areas. However, protection gaps still exist, especially in the south of its range. Mining concessions cover 27% of its current range and we estimate 28,000 ha of forest loss within its extent of occurrence between 2001 and 2020. We provide recommendations for its conservation, including priority areas for increased protection, binational initiatives to ensure connectivity with populations in Ecuador and to use the tapir as a flagship species in efforts to protect montane ecosystems for water conservation.     

A new ‘tapir’ from Ellesmere Island, Arctic Canada — Implications for northern high latitude palaeobiogeography and tapir palaeobiology

The oldest and northernmost record of the tapir lineage, Thuliadanta mayri gen. et sp. nov. from Ellesmere Island, Arctic Canada (78°50′N) implies that tapiroid evolution was well underway by early Eocene (Wasatchian) time in northern high latitudes, and raises the possibility of a North American origin for the group. Phylogenetic analyses place the new Arctic tapir as the sister group to the later more advanced Desmatotherium, Colodon, and Irdinolophus. A phylogenetically-derived biogeographic reconstruction posed here suggests the tapir lineage may represent a rare instance of counterflow wherein an exotic North American taxon invaded Asia during the early Eocene. Moreover, Thuliadanta seems a plausible ancestor to Desmatotherium from both continents, suggesting that this branch of the tapir lineage may have originated at high latitudes and subsequently dispersed from there to mid-latitudes. Thuliadanta's occurrence on Ellesmere Island indicates that northern high latitudes should also be evaluated as a potential source area for some of the exotic taxa appearing in mid-latitudes during Eocene time. Using today's tapirs, and specifically the mountain tapir, as analogs, Thuliadanta seems a plausible year-round inhabitant in the mild temperate lowland forests of the Eocene High Arctic.     

Assessing occupancy and habitat connectivity for Baird’s tapir to establish conservation priorities in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas,Mexico

Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii) is the largest native mammal that inhabits the Neotropics, and it is enlisted as Endangered by the IUCN Red List. The historic distribution of this species included the area from southern Mexico to northern Colombia. However, its distribution and populations have been reduced drastically during the past 30 years. The main threats for Baird’s tapir are the direct persecution for subsistence hunting, habitat destruction, and habitat fragmentation. In this study, we used camera traps and occupancy models to identify the landscape characteristics that were associated with the occurrence of tapirs in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas, which is one of the most important populations of the species in Mexico, with the aim to identify areas with habitat suitability for the species. We used our best occupancy model to generate a resistance matrix to develop a model of habitat connectivity using Circuit Theory. According to the best occupancy model, the most suitable areas for this species were the forested areas located at the highest elevations of the mountain ranges that provided rugged terrain. We identified three critical corridors to allow for the connectivity of tapir populations in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas, and one of these corridors provides connectivity between this population and the population in the Ocote Biosphere Reserve. With this approach, we propose a conservation strategy for the species that incorporates a more realistic and detailed scheme of Baird’s tapir occurrence in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas region. Priority actions to conserve tapirs in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas over the long term include ensuring the complete protection of prime habitat for the species, improved connectivity by protecting forest cover, implementation mitigation measures in areas where paved roads interrupt connectivity of populations, and eradicating poaching of the species in the region completely.