A range-wide assessment of the conservation status of lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris) in South America

CHALUKIAN, S.; TABER, ANDREW; ALTRICHTER, M.; OTROS AUTORES; VARELA, DIEGO

Mendoza

Congreso; 10th International Mammalogical Congress; 2009

CONICET-SAREM-IFM

Lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) range from northern South America to northern Argentina (historic range: 13,129,874 km²). Theyare a keystone species critical for maintaining ecological functionality in a wide range of tropical and subtropical habitats. They areparticularly vulnerable to direct and indirect threats due to their low reproductive rate. We report on a GIS-based range-wide assessmentusing field data (1,213 record points) and expert opinion from 40 biologists in 11 range countries. Experts judged this species extinctin 14.1% of their historic range; and considered them to have a high probability of survival in only 51.9% of the current range. Theyare most at risk in Argentina, where their range has declined by 46% with populations small and highly fragmented. Major rangedeclines were also reported in Colombia and Venezuela. We analyze the status of this species by eco-geographic region, majorhabitat type and country. Fifty-one Tapir Conservation Units (TCU) were identified covering 40% of its current distribution. Theexperts considered the major habitat types and conservation units as the most realistic targets for conservation planning. Theimportance of different threats were estimated with the principal direct risks coming from habitat loss and hunting. Conservationefforts must focus not only on protected areas, but also on communal and private lands, to maintain this species as a functional partof ecosystems at the landscape scale. We contrast our results with those from similar assessments of the largely sympatric jaguar(Panther onca) and White-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari).