A range-wide conservation status assessment of the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari)

ALTRICHTER, M.; TABER, ANDREW; CHALUKIAN, S.; MINKOSKY, K.; LIZÁRRAGA, L.; OTROS AUTORES; VARELA, DIEGO

Mendoza

Congreso; 10th International Mammalogical Congress; 2009

CONICET-SAREM-IFM

The distribution of White-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari), with an historic range of 14,220,461 km², is amongst the largest ofNeotropical mammals and extends from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. They are an ecological keystone species in theAmerican tropics and subtropics. Also, they are an important food resource for subsistence hunters and are heavily harvestedfor the hide trade. We report on a GIS-based range-wide status assessment of this species using field data and expert opinionfrom 44 biologists in 14 range countries. The experts judged white-lipped peccaries extinct in 20.5% of its historic range, andwith a low probability of survival in another ca. 22% of their distribution. Major range declines were reported in Argentina,Paraguay, S Brazil, NW South America (Colombia, Venezuela), NE Brazil and Mesoamerica. The importance of different threatsto the species were estimated; and we analyze this species? status by eco-geographic region, major habitat type and country;with planning and action implemented at the level of the latter two judged most practical by the experts. We contrast our resultswith those from similar assessments of the largely sympatric jaguar (Panther onca) and Lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris); anddiscuss implications for ecosystem function of the decline in White-lipped peccary range size and population status across theNeotropics.