Rapid assessment of non-flying mammals in three levels of human disturbance, Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica

Abstract

Introduction: Change of natural land use has become major a driver of biodiversity loss around the world. Mammals are important components of forests because they affect forest structure and composition, but few studies have compared mammals in tropical areas with different levels of human disturbance. Objective: To do a rapid assessment of non-flying mammals in Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, in three zones with different levels of human disturbance. Methods: On July 18-21, 2019, we identified non-flying mammals with trail walk sightings, camera traps, and Sherman traps. Results: We identified 17 species but no differences among zones. The most common were Cebus imitador and Pecari tajacu, the most used plant was Mangifera indica. Conclusion: This brief study identified 17 non-flying mammals in this reserve.