Biotemas (Nov 2005)
Non-volant mammals recorded in environmental evaluation studies in southern Brazil
Abstract
Studies to evaluate environmental impacts have become both a need and a requirement of environmental agencies due to great alteration of the native environments provoked by man. Many of these studies are short-termed, but reporting the acquired data is very important in order to increase knowledge about specific biotic groups. Thus, this paper presents the results of the non-volant mammal surveys arising from seven environmental studies in southern Brazil. The following methodologies were employed: (1) interviews with local residents; (2) visual observations and recording; (3) identification of vestiges; and (4) capture with live traps. A total of 46 mammal species were recorded (5 marsupials, 4 xenarthrans, 2 primates, 13 carnivores, 2 artiodactylans, 2 lagomorphs and 18 rodents). Some species, such as the jaguar (Panthera onca), giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), Brazilian tapir (Tapirus terrestris) and white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari), are possibly extinct or seriously threatened. The records obtained and the possibilities of the occurrence of other species are discussed.
