Diversidad y conservación de los mamíferos terrestres de Chiapas, México

Abstract

We evaluated the current state of diversity, distribution and conservation of terrestrial mammals in Chiapas, through historical and current records. Chiapas is the second Mexican state more diverse in this group, with 210 species (42.3% of the national total), of which 9 are endemic to the state. The bats represent 108 species, rodents 51 and carnivores 19. The most diverse regions in mammals in Chiapas maintain a variety of environments mainly temperate forest, cloud forest and tropical forest and large topographic heterogeneity in the subprovinces of the Chiapas highlands, mountains of the southern and northern Chiapas, as well as the Lacandon Sierra forests. The patterns of distribution of mammals of Chiapas are related with the evolutionary history of the species, their habitat requirements, and the effects of human activity (loss of habitat, hunting without control, illegal trafficking, and introduction of exotic species). To substantiate the required conservation practices, it is essential to generate more comprehensive information on the distribution, abundance of populations of endemic mammals, threatened and in danger of extinction, as well as its response to the loss and fragmentation of habitat, overexploitation, and other human activities.