EFFECT OF TOURIST ON BEHAVIOR OF LAMA GUANICOE IN PROVINCIAL PARK ISCHIGUALASTO, SAN JUAN, ARGENTINA

GIANNONI, STELLA MARIS; SANABRIA, EDUARDO; MALO, JUAN; SUÁREZ CARDONA , FRANCISCO; CAPPA, FLAVIO; BORGHI, CARLOS EDUARDO

Mendoza

Congreso; 10th International Mammalogical Congress; 2009

Given the importance of the tourism sector to Provincial Park Ischigualasto, the lack of information of the effect of tourism on wildlife is a significant concern. The aim of this study was assessment the effect of presence human in different time the pressure touristic on behavior of L. guanicoe. We registered behavior using scan and focal sampling, in three times: maximum tourist pressure, medium, and minimum ones (tourist pressure). Also, we considered the group size and presence or absence of tourists (tourist). For analyses was used ANCOVA and group size as covariate. An analysis with all data demonstrated that behavior of guanacos was significantly affected by group size: £ 4 and ³ 5 (F(2, 142)=15.66; p<0.0001). Interaction between group size-time was also significantly.  Consequently we analyzed these two group size separately. When the group size was £ 4, the behavior was significantly affected by “tourist pressure” and “tourist”, and also the interaction between tourist pressure and tourists (all p < 0.0001). At maximum and minimum tourist pressure, guanacos vigilance more in presence of tourists, and forage more at minimum tourist pressure with respect to medium and maximum tourist pressure (p<0.05). When the group was ³5, we do not found a significant effect of the “tourist pressure”.  The guanacos vigilance more when tourists are present (p<0.05), but differences in foraging behavior is not significant. The presence of tourists affected the trade-off between vigilance and foraging, and the decision is affected by the group size. Then, the impact on small size groups of guanacos is biggest. This result highlights the importance of the tourist impact in those protected areas that receive a large number of tourists per year because it could endanger their conservation.