Mammal conservation in Amazonia’s protected areas: A case study of Peru’s Ichigkat Muja - Cordillera del Cóndor National Park

Abstract

The protected areas of the Amazon Basin provide a core refuge for many threatened forest mammals species, but their effectiveness in wildlife conservation is poorly documented. To better understand the impact of protected areas on mammal conservation in the Amazon Basin, this study evaluates the diversity, abundance, and conservation status of medium and large forest mammals in a borderland sector of Peru’s Ichigkat Muja - Cordillera del Cóndor National Park. Over two field seasons, a total of 26 medium and large forest-dwelling mammal species belonging to 19 families were recorded using camera traps and field surveys. In comparison with regional reference sites, 63% of the mammal species recorded in the regional reference sites were documented in the study area. The drivers of species diversity and abundance within the study area were assessed using park guard reports, published literature, and regression analysis, and the intactness of the local mammal fauna was evaluated using regional comparison sites. A combination of factors explain the diversity and abundance of the mammal fauna recorded in the protected study area, including regional geography and human activities. Given the location of the protected area in Peru and its adjacency to the border of Ecuador, long-term conservation of the park’s mammals depends on binational efforts that invest in collaborative institutions and local communities. This case study provides an example of how borderland protected areas can present challenging wildlife conservation scenarios that require binational collaboration. The current condition and at-risk status of mammal fauna in the protected study area also underlines the importance of consistent field-based monitoring to inform management and evaluate protected area effectiveness.