Tayassu Research Articles

Spatial isotopic dietary plasticity of a Neotropical forest ungulate: the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari)

White-lipped peccaries (WLPs; Tayassu pecari, Tayassuidae, Cetartiodactyla) are forest-dwelling ungulates critical to maintaining healthy Neotropical forest ecosystems through key aspects of their dietary behaviors, including seed predation and dispersal. Land-use change and deforestation threaten WLP access to food resources, and thus knowledge of how WLP diet varies spatially is necessary to frame conservation efforts for the species. Here, we use stable carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) isotopes from WLP hair and food resources to assess whether WLP diet varies among four regions in three Brazilian biomes: the Pantanal, the Cerrado, and the Atlantic Forest (semi-deciduous and ombrophilous), each varying in forest canopy cover, climatic characteristics, and degrees of agricultural impacts. We find that in all regions WLPs are consuming primarily C₃ resources, with mean δ¹³C values ranging from –28.7‰ to –26.9‰. In the heavily fragmented semi-deciduous Atlantic Forest, δ¹³C values are the highest, and may indicate that some individuals are consuming a small amount of C₄ crops or demonstrating increased levels of insectivory. A through-time comparison of WLP hair in the semi-deciduous Atlantic Forest suggests the recorded slight departure from an exclusive C₃ diet may be a recent phenomenon, as hairs collected prior to the year 2000 have lower δ¹³C values than those collected in 2016. While some individual WLPs may slightly alter diet in heavily anthropogenically modified areas, C₄ crops are not a main component of WLP diet. Our results suggest that WLPs are still highly dependent on forest resources, even in human-altered landscapes, and conservation and management plans for the species must consider these dietary needs in order to be successful.

Genetic diversity and population structure of white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) in the Pantanal, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest from Brazil

In general, habitat fragmentation is associated with a reduction in gene flow that can reduce the genetic diversity, and, consequently, a species ability to survive environmental changes. The white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) is a Neotropical ecosystem engineer that is vulnerable throughout its distribution area and under different degrees of threat in the Brazilian Pantanal (near threatened), Cerrado (endangered) and Atlantic Forest (critically endangered). We used 13 microsatellite loci to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of 361 white-lipped peccaries sampled in four areas in the Pantanal, two areas in the Cerrado, and one area in the Atlantic Forest. We found similar levels of genetic diversity in all localities. Bayesian clustering analysis indicated the presence of two (K = 2; all Pantanal localities plus the Cerrado locality at the Pantanal highlands versus the other Cerrado locality plus the Atlantic Forest one) or three (K = 3; with the additional differentiation between the Cerrado locality and the Atlantic Forest) genetically differentiated populations. We found a pattern of isolation by distance (IBD) limited by dispersal events of up to 180 km. This IBD pattern is congruent with gene flow between the geographically closer localities in the Pantanal and the Cerrado in the Pantanal highlands (25–137 km), while dispersal between the other Cerrado locality and the Atlantic Forest, that are 500 km apart, would not be as feasible. Therefore, we considered K = 3 as the best scenario to represent the genetic structure of the populations analyzed. As all populations of white-lipped peccary showed moderate levels of genetic diversity, conservation actions are recommended to maintain their diversity, as it is vital to the long-term viability of these populations, especially those in more threatened biomes.

Uso da caça de subsistência no assentamento santa luzia, Cruzeiro do sul, Acre

In Amazon, native fauna is considered the major source of animal protein consumed by rural populations and traditional people. The main cinegetic species used by these communities stand out: large mammals (ungulates: white-lipped peccary, deer and tapir; primates and rodents such as pacas and agoutis), avifauna (curassows, jacamins, jacus and nambus) and the reptiles (chelonians). The present study characterizes the use of subsistence hunting by rural dwellers at Santa Luzia settlement, in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre. The data collection was made by semi-structured questionnaire, composed of closed and open-ended questions, a total of 101 families were interviewed. About 163 animals where slaughtered each month at the study area, totaling approximately 1.400 animals slaughtered annually. Were pointed out 11 species of cinegetic use, among them, the armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), jacu (Opisthocomus hoazin), paca (Cuniculus paca) and the deer (Mazama sp.) are the most targeted for hunting in the locality, having the major acceptance by hunters. The technique of hunting on the spot is the most used by hunters followed by hunting with dogs. Nowadays, the time spent in the hunt is around 6 to 16 hours to obtain an animal. Deeper studies about understanding the pressure of hunting over these species become highly important to their maintenance and conservation on site.

Analysis and trends of photo-trapping in Mexico: text mining in R

This paper gathers published studies that used photo-trapping as the primary or supplementary method to obtain data on mammal and bird species in Mexico. The aim is to determine temporal trends, scientific journals, species, research groups, regions, and key topics investigated using this technology. A secondary objective of this paper was to illustrate the usefulness of text mining tools to analyze and summarize relatively large amounts of information. Papers about photo-trapping in Mexico published in specialized journals and books from 1998 to 2017 were compiled from Google Scholar and processed with various packages in R. A total of 188 papers about photo-trapping in Mexico were compiled, with 88.2 % published in 50 journals over the past seven years. The main journals were Therya, Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, Acta Zoologica Mexicana (New Series) and Revista de Biologia Tropical. The articles identified were written by 406 co-authors, 28 of whom contributed with 32.4 % of the papers published. A total of 40 species were reported in the title and abstract of these papers; the most frequent species were Panthera onca, Leopardus pardalis, Puma concolor, Tapirus bairdii, Tayassu pecari, Odocoileus virginianus , and Cuniculus paca . Oaxaca, Campeche, Sonora, Chiapas, Guanajuato, and Puebla were the main states where studies were conducted; in particular, most of them were carried out within Biosphere Reserves. Major research topics comprised records that broaden the distribution range, estimates of relative abundance and density, analysis of activity patterns, ecological interactions between species, and use of photo-trapping data as supplementary information to elaborate inventories of species. The analysis of text mining clearly indicates a trend towards an increasing use of photo-trapping in Mexico. Felines, ungulates and various species of the order Carnivora are main subjects of study. Photo-trapping has been used to explore a number of aspects of the biology of animal species. A large number of studies have been carried out in southeastern Mexico. The use of text mining techniques is a practical approach to analyze large volumes of data.

Molecular detection of Mycoplasma suis in captive white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) and wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Brazil.

Mycoplasma suis, the etiological agent of swine hemoplasmosis, is an epicellular bacterium that adheres to the surface of pig erythrocytes leading to deformations of the target cells. Little is known about the occurrence of M. suis in wild swine populations around the world, its economic impact on swine herds, and the risk of human infection. The aim of this study was to investigate, by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) based on the 16S rRNA gene, the occurrence of M. suis in a captive population of white-lipped peccaries (100 Tayassu pecari) and in free-living wild boars (14 Sus scrofa) in Brazil. None of the white-lipped peccaries were positive for M. suis, whereas seven (50%) wild boars were positive in qPCR assays. The quantification of M. suis-16S rRNA copies/μL ranged from 1.42 × 10° to 3.906 × 101 in positive animals, indicating a low bacteremia and a chronic carrier status in free-living wild boars. In conclusion, M. suis might be a non-frequent pathogen in wild suids maintained in captivity. Despite the low bacteremia, the prevalence of M. suis in wild boar population in Brazil seems to be high.

Anti-influenza A virus antibodies in Tayassuidae from commercial rearing farms in Brazil

ABSTRACT: Family Tayassuidae in the suborder Suina include two species of peccaries in Brazil: the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) and the collared peccary (Pecari tajacu). These animals share common pathogens with domestic swine (Sus scrofa); however, their role as potential carrier remains unclear. This study focused on detecting the prevalence of influenza A antibodies in Tayassu pecari and Pecari tajacu from commercial rearing farms from two states in Brazil. A set of 50 blood samples from Pecari tajacu and 55 from Tayassu pecari were analyzed using a commercial indirect ELISA in order to investigate anti influenza A antibodies. Pecari tajacu samples presented 22% (11/50) of seropositivity for the virus. Serological surveillance is an important tool to identify the presence and the spread of the influenza virus in feral pigs.

The paradoxical situation of the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Populations of white-lipped peccaries, Tayassu pecari, have already been extirpated or drastically reduced in much of the Neotropics, but are still relatively abundant in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, the country's largest maize and soy producer. This article synthesises over a decade of experience both visiting farms which experienced crop damage and working with hunters, farmers and technicians who live in areas of conflict with T. pecari. These social ungulates feed within maize plantations bordering forest fragments during the entire cultivation cycle and farmers in Mato Grosso vociferously protest the severe economic losses they cause. To protect their crops from damage, farmers slaughter white-lipped peccaries using firearms, traps and mass poisoning. We also draw attention to the need to mitigate the damage caused in agricultural frontiers by this ecologically important species, such that it is not decimated as it has been in the Caatinga and Atlantic Forest biomes.

ESTADO POBLACIONAL DEL SAJINO Pecari tajacu Y HUANGANA Tayassu pecari EN LA AMAZONÍA PERUANA

El sajino (Pecari tajacu) y la huangana (Tayassu pecari) son especies muy importantes como fuente de proteína y de ingresos económicos a nivel familiar, como elemento cultural y en general del buen vivir de las comunidades nativas. Apesar de su importancia, la escasa información de sus poblaciones en gran parte de la Amazonía peruana dificulta evaluar su uso sostenible como carne de monte o exportación de pieles. De esta forma, este estudio pretende evaluar las poblaciones de P. tajacu y T. pecari en las regiones de Loreto y Ucayali mediante el método de transectos en banda en 33 localidades y mediante el método de consenso cultural en 11 localidades. Los 14,220.5 km recorridos en transectos lineales mostraron que la densidad 2 poblacional de P. tajacu fue de 1.24 ind/km siendo registrado en 32 (96.9%) localidades, mientras que T. 2 pecari mostró una densidad de 1.59 ind/km y fue registrado en 16 (48.5%) localidades. Sólo la densidad de P. tajacu estuvo relacionada con el tamaño de grupo. Las 162 entrevistas realizadas en 11 comunidades mostraron que los cazadores locales percibieron al P. tajacu como abundante y al T. pecari como frecuente o abundante. Las densidades poblacionales de las dos especies de pecaríes fueron mayores en bosques no inundables o de tierra firme que en bosques inundables, presentando ambas especies una correlación positiva. De acuerdo a los métodos de estudio empleados, no hubo diferencias en el tamaño poblacional reportados para ambas especies, tanto dentro como fuera de las áreas naturales protegidas. Esto indica que las zonas fuera de las áreas naturales protegidas contienen altas densidades poblacionales, son de gran importancia para la conservación de los pecaríes y contribuyen a garantizar la seguridad alimentaria de las poblaciones humanas ribereñas y nativas.

NEOSPORA CANINUM-SPECIFIC ANTIBODIES IN FREE-RANGING WHITE-LIPPED PECCARIES ( TAYASSU PECARI) FROM THE PERUVIAN AMAZON: DETECTION OF ANTIBODIES IN SERUM AND EVALUATION OF INDIRECT FLUORESCENT ANTIBODY TEST WITH HETEROLOGOUS SECONDARY ANTIBODY.

Neospora caninum is a coccidian parasite originally reported in dogs and widely prevalent in numerous species of wild and domestic animals and has as definitive hosts some species of canids. The white-lipped peccary (WLP) ( Tayassu pecari) is a Tayassuidae mammal, found from Mexico to south of Brazil and north of Argentina. It is a game species with great economic importance in the Peruvian Amazon. Blood samples from 101 WLPs were collected from near or within three different conservation reserves located in the southeastern region of the Peruvian Amazon. For the detection of antibodies against N. caninum, indirect fluorescent antibody tests (IFAT) were performed using collared peccary ( Pecari tajacu) and swine ( Sus scrofa domesticus) heterologous secondary antibodies. For both IFAT tests, the cutoff was 1:50. Positive samples were titrated by a two fold serial dilution. In addition to IFAT, samples were also analyzed using an immunoblotting test (IB) with anti-swine conjugate. To confirm the viability of the anti-swine conjugate, the results of these samples previously tested by a modified agglutination test (MAT) for Toxoplasma gondii were used as reference. From the total of 101 samples tested, 5 (4.9%) were N. caninum positive by the three tests and an extra sample was positive by both IFATs and negative in the IB. Comparing both IFATs and considering IB as the gold standard, the relative sensitivity of IFATs was 100%, the specificity was 98.9%, the positive predictive value was 83.3%, and the negative predictive value was 100%. The agreement between tests was characterized by a κ value of 0.904 (95% confidence interval, 0.717 to 1.0) and an SE of 0.095. This is the first report of N. caninum antibodies in free-ranging T. pecari, and swine and collared peccary conjugate can be used as a secondary antibody for detection of antibodies in Tayassu species.

Using activity and occupancy to evaluate niche partitioning: the case of two peccary species in the Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil.

Collared and white-lipped peccaries (Pecari tajacu and Tayassu pecari, respectively) are widely distributed, herd-forming ungulates that are sympatric in a variety of Neotropical ecosystems. Patterns of co-occurrence and niche partitioning are still poorly understood in sympatric peccary populations in the Atlantic Forest. We aimed to test the hypothesis that the collared and white-lipped peccary avoided each other by some degree of niche partitioning in the Vale Natural Reserve, Espirito Santo state, southeastern Brazil. Species-specific occupancy, detection, and activity patterns were estimated from camera-trap data collected at 39 sample sites over a 1-year period. We found that both peccary species respond to similar habitat covariates (palm density, distance to water resources, poaching intensity). We also quantified the probability of co-occurrence, or the Species Interaction Factor (SIF), using a two-species occupancy modelling approach. We found that the two species avoided each other in space (SIF=0.410.02), thus providing evidence for niche partitioning. Specifically, occupancy of the collared peccary was significantly lower at sites occupied by the white-lipped peccary (yBA=0.240.08) when compared to sites unoccupied by the whitelipped peccary (yBa=0.800.05). We also found weak evidence for temporal niche partitioning, with the white-lipped peccary being more restricted to diurnal hours. Our results contribute to our knowledge of species ecology and the potential mechanisms of coexistence for peccary species in the Vale Natural Reserve.

Embryonic and fetal development of the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari)

The white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) is an endangered large-sized Neotropical ungulate that is one of the most hunted mammals in the Amazon. Here, we used two embryos and 102 white-lipped peccary fetuses originated from animals hunted for subsistence in the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon to describe the intrauterine development of external and internal morphology of this Neotropical ungulate. Logistic regressions were used to estimate the probability of occurrence of main external characteristics in relation to the total dorsal length (TDL), while multiple linear and non-linear regressions were conducted to assess the relationship between external and visceral biometry with TDL. External characteristics appeared in the following chronological order: limbs, differentiated genitalia and opened eyelids (≥5.1 cm TDL), fused eyelids (≥6.2 cm TDL), hooves and outer ear (≥7.9 cm TDL), dorsal gland (≥9.4 cm TDL), skin (≥11.5 cm TDL); tactile pelage (≥13.8 cm TDL), covering pelage (≥20.9 cm TDL), tooth eruption (≥26.4 cm TDL) and opened eyelids (≥27.8 cm TDL). The formula of fetal age was ∛W = 0.084 (t – 31.80), with a high linear relationship between TDL and gestational age. All external biometric parameters and absolute volume of visceral organs showed strong positive relationship with TDL. Except for the liver, we found differences in the relative volume of most visceral organs between advanced fetuses (≥34.2 cm TDL) and adults. The most important events during the intrauterine development in the white-lipped peccary show that, in contrast with the domestic pig, it is a highly precocial species producing newborns with a high fetal growth velocity which allows newborns to achieve an early autonomous functionality. Our results are relevant to improve imaging techniques and assist the reproductive and clinical management for the white-lipped peccary both in captivity and in the wild.

Diversidad, abundancia relativa y patrones de actividad de los mamíferos medianos y grandes, asociados a los bosques riparios del río Bita, Vichada, Colombia

The diversity of mammals in the Orinoco River basin is derived from the mixture of species from different biogeographic regions and remains poorly known. Therefore, we used camera trapping techniques for the registration of the large and medium mammals associated to the riparian forest in the upper and middle basins of the Bita River, Vichada, Colombia. Diversity, relative abundance index and activity patterns were estimated. Seventy-seven camera traps were installed along 200 km of the river in two hydroclimatic periods (low and high precipitation). A total of 16439 images were obtained with a sampling effort of 7700 traps-days. Twenty-four species of mammals were recorded, corresponding to 17 families and 9 orders. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index obtained through this method was H =1.995, the best-represented species through the relative abundance index were Tayassu pecari (IAR= 0.176, n = 1360), Cuniculus paca (IAR = 0.174, n = 1346), Tapirus terrestris (IAR = 0.144, n = 1114) and Dasyprocta fuliginosa (IAR = 0.116, n = 900). In terms of activity patterns, Dasyprocta fuliginosa showed a pattern of diurnal activity, Leopardus pardalis catemeral, Tayassu pecari morning twilight, Cuniculus paca and Didelphis marsupialis nocturnal and Tapirus terrestris twilight evening. This information may be useful to plan conservation and management actions for the mast ofauna of the Bita River basin.

Anexo: Diversidad, abundancia relativa y patrones de actividad de los mamíferos medianos y grandes, asociados a los bosques riparios del río Bita, Vichada, Colombia

The diversity of mammals in the Orinoco River basin is derived from the mixture of species from different biogeographic regions and remains poorly known. Therefore, we used camera trapping techniques for the registration of the large and medium mammals associated to the riparian forest in the upper and middle basins of the Bita River, Vichada, Colombia. Diversity, relative abundance index and activity patterns were estimated. Seventy-seven camera traps were installed along 200 km of the river in two hydroclimatic periods (low and high precipitation). A total of 16439 images were obtained with a sampling effort of 7700 traps-days. Twenty-four species of mammals were recorded, corresponding to 17 families and 9 orders. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index obtained through this method was H =1.995, the best-represented species through the relative abundance index were Tayassu pecari (IAR= 0.176, n = 1360), Cuniculus paca (IAR = 0.174, n = 1346), Tapirus terrestris (IAR = 0.144, n = 1114) and Dasyprocta fuliginosa (IAR = 0.116, n = 900). In terms of activity patterns, Dasyprocta fuliginosa showed a pattern of diurnal activity, Leopardus pardalis catemeral, Tayassu pecari morning twilight, Cuniculus paca and Didelphis marsupialis nocturnal and Tapirus terrestris twilight evening. This information may be useful to plan conservation and management actions for the mast ofauna of the Bita River basin.

SEROLOGIC SURVEY FOR SELECTED VIRAL AND BACTERIAL SWINE PATHOGENS IN COLOMBIAN COLLARED PECCARIES ( PECARI TAJACU) AND FERAL PIGS ( SUS SCROFA).

In South America, wild populations of peccaries coexist with domestic and feral pigs, with poorly understood consequences. We captured 58 collared peccaries ( Pecari tajacu) and 15 feral pigs ( Sus scrofa) in locations of Colombia where coexistence of these species is known. Blood samples were tested for antibodies against four viral agents, classical swine fever virus (CSFV), Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV), porcine circovirus (PCV-2), and vesicular stomatitis virus (New Jersey and Indiana subtypes) and two bacterial agents, Brucella spp. and six serovars of Leptospira interrogans. The prevalence of CSFV was 5% (3/58) in collared peccaries and 7% (1/15) in feral pigs. The prevalence of PCV-2 was 7% (1/15) in collared peccaries and 67% (2/3) in feral pigs. Vesicular stomatitis prevalence was 33% (8/24) in collared peccaries and 67% (4/6) in feral pigs. Leptospira prevalence was 78% (39/50) in collared peccary and 100% (8/8) in feral pigs; bratislava, grippotyphosa, icterohaemorrhagiae, and pomona were the most frequent serovars. Also, the only white-lipped peccary ( Tayassu pecari) sampled was positive for L. interrogans serovar bratislava and for vesicular stomatitis virus, New Jersey strain. No samples were positive for ADV or Brucella. The seroprevalence of antibodies against L. interrogans was similar to that observed in other studies. Icterohaemorrhagiae appears to be a common serovar among in situ and ex situ peccary populations. Positive antibodies against PVC-2 represent a novel report of exposure to this pathogen in Colombian peccaries. Our results indicate the possible transmission of various pathogens, important for pig farms, in the studied pig and peccaries.

Enhancing conservation network design with graph-theory and a measure of protected area effectiveness: Refining wildlife corridors in Belize, Central America

Maintaining connectivity among remaining natural areas has become increasingly important to ameliorate the negative effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on wildlife populations. Early corridor networks were based on structural connectivity (i.e. habitat structure) and designed to connect protected areas. In recent decades, many methods have been developed to increase the ecological realism of such corridor design to avoid misguided management. However, the multitude and complexity of methods can be a hurdle for conservation planners. Here, we combine a limited set of multiple methods to present a connectivity analysis framework that produces repeatable, intuitive, and ecologically relevant connectivity estimates. We use a modified habitat suitability analysis, accounting for protected area effectiveness, as a starting point for least-cost corridor estimates, and evaluate the network using graph theory. We apply the framework to an existing corridor network in Belize, Central America, by estimating potential functional connectivity for white-lipped peccaries Tayassu pecari between systematically identified core patches. We found that forest productivity and protected area effectiveness were important predictors of habitat suitability for white-lipped peccaries. The graph-theoretic network analyses identified particularly important core areas for overall landscape connectivity and indicated potentially weak links in the existing network, while the least-cost corridor outlines indicated general areas where the implementation of connectivity-enhancing measures could strengthen such weak links. With this study, we provide a framework to improve the scientific rigour, ecological meaningfulness, and conservation relevance of applied corridor network design.

Genetic evidence of promiscuity in a mammal without apparent sexual dimorphism, the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari)

Polygyny in mammals, as in other groups, is related to sexual dimorphism, with males being larger than females or with elaborate weaponry as a response to sexual selection. However, sexual selection can also act on females, leading to cases where dimorphism is reversed or absent and females mate with several males, leading to a promiscuous mating system. In this study, we analyzed the mating system of a monomorphic mammalian species, the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari), using microsatellite molecular markers and parentage tests. The white-lipped peccary mating system is predicted to be polygyny, but so far, no systematic study exists. To verify their mating behavior, 131 individuals of a herd from the Brazilian Pantanal were genotyped for 11 microsatellite loci and parentage tests were performed for all the sampled young. We determined that both males and females had offspring with more than one partner which is compatible with a promiscuous mating system. Promiscuity in this species could be related to competition among females as a result of the female-biased sex ratio leading to sexual and/or natural selection not only on males but also females.

Patterns of mammal subsistence hunting in eastern Amazon, Brazil

ABSTRACTHunting affects many threatened mammal species in Brazil. We described subsistence hunting patterns for medium‐ (1.0–14.9 kg) and large‐sized (>15 kg) mammal species by a rural community in the eastern Amazon, Brazil. From April 2012 to November 2013, we observed hunts and conducted semistructured interviews with local hunters. We identified species of game mammals in the region, frequency of capture, capture techniques used for each species, yield of the hunt, and reasons that hunting is practiced in the region. We then performed a correlation analysis and multivariate analysis to determine similarities and differences of mammals hunted in each landscape. We recorded 18 species of harvested animals (n = 132) including common paca (Cuniculus paca), capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), southern naked‐tailed armadillo (Cabassous unicinctus), nine‐banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), and six‐banded armadillo (Euphractus sexcinctus). Endangered species that were hunted included giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) and white‐lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari). The medium‐sized mammals comprised 75.7% of harvested mammals, whereas 24.2% were large‐sized mammals; however, the latter group represented 55.8% of the mass of harvested meat. Half of all biomass harvested was from rainforests that made up 2.2% of the region. Knowing what, how, why, and where certain species are hunted increases understanding of pressure local communities exert on wild animal populations. As the first study of its kind in the eastern Brazilian Amazon, our study is a basis for further work in relation to effect and sustainability of hunting wildlife, and conservation strategies for medium‐ and long‐term management programs for species conservation at the regional level. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.

Dietary variability of extinct tayassuids and modern white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) as inferred from dental microwear and stable isotope analysis

Prior geochemical work documents dietary shifts coincident with climate change in extinct peccaries, with taxa typically shifting between browsing and mixed-feeding. This study employs dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) and stable carbon isotopes to interpret the diet of extinct peccaries in Florida, specifically Platygonus, Mylohyus, and Protherohyus from the late Miocene throughout the Pleistocene, to evaluate how dietary behavior has fluctuated over time. When Mylohyus and Protherohyus coexisted in the Hemphillian, Mylohyus consumed C3 food sources with harder textures, consistent with the consumption of woody browse, while Protherohyus consumed a greater proportion of C4 vegetation (likely grass). During the Blancan, both Platygonus and Mylohyus can be considered primarily C3 browsers, based on both DMTA and stable isotope data. However, during the Irvingtonian, both Mylohyus and Platygonus consumed a larger proportion of C4 vegetation than during previous North American Land Mammal Ages (NALMAs). Platygonus consumed predominantly C3 vegetation during the Rancholabrean, while Mylohyus consumed a mixture of C3 and C4 vegetation in more open environments. Independent of NALMA, Platygonus consumed predominantly tough vegetation, (e.g., tough leaves and/or grass) while Mylohyus consumed harder food items, consistent with morphological differences in their teeth. In contrast, extant Tayassu peccaries are obligate C3 feeders and show no evidence of C4 consumption. Further, Tayassu are indistinguishable in all dental microwear textural properties from both of their extinct relatives, suggesting that while extant peccaries eat primarily foods from forested environments, those foods are highly variable in textural properties. Collectively, these data suggest that extinct peccaries, Mylohyus and Platygonus, altered their diet over time and possibly in response to changing climates.

Identification of Mycobacterium species and Rhodococcus equi in peccary lymph nodes.

Mycobacterium species and the virulence-associated proteins (vapA, vapB, and vapN genes) of Rhodococcus equi isolated from 330 lymph nodes of collared peccaries (Tayassu tajacu) and white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) intended for human consumption were investigated. Thirty-six (10.9%) R. equi strains were isolated; 3.3% (n = 11/330) were from white-lipped peccary lymph nodes, and 7.6% (25/330) were from collared peccary lymph nodes. Among the 11 isolates of R. equi from the white-lipped peccaries, 90.9% (n = 10/11) were obtained from the mesenteric lymph nodes, and only 9.1% (n = 1/10) were obtained from the mediastinal lymph nodes. In the 25 isolates of R. equi obtained from the collared peccaries, 40.0% (n = 10/25) were recovered from the mesenteric lymph nodes, 36% (n = 9/25) from the submandibular lymph nodes, and 24.0% (n = 6/25) from the mediastinal lymph nodes. No vapA, vapB, or vapN genes (plasmidless) or three host-associated types (pVAPA, pVAPB, and pVAPN) were identified among the R. equi isolates. Mycobacterium species were isolated in 3.03% (n = 10/330) of all the lymph nodes analyzed. Among the 10 mycobacterial isolates, 60% (n = 6/10) were from the white-lipped peccary lymph nodes, and 40% (n = 4/10) were from the collared peccary lymph nodes. Ten Mycobacterium species were detected by PCR-PRA with a predominance of M. avium type 1. Sequencing of the hsp65 and rpob genes revealed mycobacteria that were saprophytic (M. sinense and M. kumamotonense) and potentially pathogenic (M. colombiense and M. intracellulare) to humans and animals. To our knowledge, this is the first description of R. equi and/or mycobacterial species identified in the lymph nodes of peccary specimens. R. equi (plasmidless) and the mycobacterial species described here have been reported as causes of pulmonary and extrapulmonary infections in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised humans.

When roads appear jaguars decline: Increased access to an Amazonian wilderness area reduces potential for jaguar conservation.

Roads are a main threat to biodiversity conservation in the Amazon, in part, because roads increase access for hunters. We examine how increased landscape access by hunters may lead to cascading effects that influence the prey community and abundance of the jaguar (Panthera onca), the top Amazonian terrestrial predator. Understanding such ecological effects originating from anthropogenic actions is essential for conservation and management of wildlife populations in areas undergoing infrastructure development. Our study was conducted in Yasuní Biosphere Reserve, the protected area with highest potential for jaguar conservation in Ecuador, and an area both threatened by road development and inhabited by indigenous groups dependent upon bushmeat. We surveyed prey and jaguar abundance with camera traps in four sites that differed in accessibility to hunters and used site occupancy and spatially explicit capture-recapture analyses to evaluate prey occurrence and estimate jaguar density, respectively. Higher landscape accessibility to hunters was linked with lower occurrence and biomass of game, particularly white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) and collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), the primary game for hunters and prey for jaguars. Jaguar density was up to 18 times higher in the most remote site compared to the most accessible site. Our results provide a strong case for the need to: 1) consider conservation of large carnivores and other wildlife in policies about road construction in protected areas, 2) coordinate conservation initiatives with local governments so that development activities do not conflict with conservation objectives, and 3) promote development of community-based strategies for wildlife management that account for the needs of large carnivores.