Distribution and relative abundance of peccaries in the Argentine Chaco: associations with human factors

ALTRICHTER MARIANA; BOAGLIO, GABRIEL

BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2004

0006-3207

In the Argentine Chaco, the three species of peccaries (Artiodactyla) are likely affected by habitat destruction and hunting, yetbasic information on peccary distribution and status in this region is poorly known. This study identifies human factors associatedwith relative abundance and distribution of each species. Estimation of relative abundance was based on interviews with localhunters, and variables potentially related to distribution and relative abundance of peccaries were estimated for 153 circular samplesites of 10 km diameter in the Argentine Chaco. Peccaries were found in sites of high forest cover, low human density, far fromtowns and with low density of roads. After accounting for forest cover and other variables, number of settlements was identified asthe main variable negatively associated with relative abundance of the three species, which may be a result of local hunting. Densityof roads was also negatively associated with presence of chacoan peccaries. Collared peccary seems to be the least susceptible tohuman perturbations. It was the most widely distributed and found in a wider range of conditions than the other species. Chacoanpeccary was relatively rare. Because colonization and development programs are increasing in the region, areas still uninhabitedshould be protected, construction of roads controlled, and hunting managed.