Population parameters of indigenous populations of Myocastor coypus: the effect of hunting pressure

GUICHÓN ML Y MH CASSINI

ACTA THERIOLOGICA

POLISH ACAD SCIENCES

Año: 2005 vol. 50 p. 125 - 132

0001-7051

The coypu or nutria (Myocastor coypus) is a semiaquatic rodent intensively harvested for fur in its native region. We studied population parameters at four sites differing in hunting pressure and we characterised hunting activity in north-eastern Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Our interviews with hunters, local inhabitants and wildlife managers revealed that hunting is a cultural tradition in the countryside with the coypu being used as meat and fur, and the young occasionally used as pets. Quarterly live trapping captured a high proportion of all coypus present at each site. In sites with higher hunting pressure, low density of coypus was associated with high population losses and immigration. In these sites the proportion of juveniles and pregnant females was similar to that obtained at sites with no hunting pressure. No foraging deficiencies were evident from diet quality analysis. These results suggest that harvesting determines the dynamics of coypu populations in this region, where hunting pressure can be assessed by accessibility of hunting sites, their distance to urban or rural settlements, effective control of hunting, and human population density of the area.