Abstract
The spotted paca,Cuniculuspaca (Linnaeus, 1766), is a Neotropical, opportunistic, frugivorous caviomorph rodent, that inhabits primarily broadleaf forests. We aimed to provide the first estimates of density of C.paca for the Ilha Grande, an island located in the Atlantic Rain Forest biome of Brazil. Density and population size were estimated using the total number of individuals observed along each trail through the program DISTANCE 7. Our estimates of density and population size reinforces the importance of the Ilha Grande as an important reservoir of the species. Therefore, the results presented herein can be a starting point to support future action plans for the species, making predictions regarding the ecosystem and management and conservation of the spotted paca. Furthermore, the results can be used as a surrogate for other regions in which the species occurs.
Highlights
Estimates of density and population size are fundamental to any conservation effort of endangered species
We aimed to provide the first estimates of density of C. paca for the Ilha Grande, an island located in the Atlantic Rain Forest biome of Brazil
The effective strip width (ESW) was 3.40 ± 0.58 m with records obtained from 0 to 9 m from the line of the transect (Fig. 2)
Summary
Estimates of density and population size are fundamental to any conservation effort of endangered species These estimates allow to evaluate a great range of impacts such as loss of habitat, identifying priority areas for conservation, evaluating the viability of isolated populations, determine the species conservation status, and has utility in several ecological studies in addition to serving as an important tool for decision makers (e.g., Jathanna et al 2003, Tomas et al 2004, Cardillo et al 2006, Cunha and Loyola 2011, Buckland et al 2016). Few studies employed nocturnal surveys (e.g., Glanz 1990, Malcolm 1990, Beck-King et al 1999, Oversluijs-Vásquez 2003, Aquino et al 2009), and a great part of knowledge about the species natural history comes from studies that focus on the species as a feline prey
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