904 R. Pillco Huarcaya et al.
Supplementary Table 1). Thirty mammal species were de- tected by camera traps, with 1,485 independent records over 6,490 camera-trap nights. Six species of mammals were detected via incidental records, four of which (all ar- boreal) were not detected by camera traps: the night monkey Aotus nigriceps, the tufted capuchin Sapajus macrocephalus, the burnished saki monkey Pithecia inusta and the kinkajou Potos flavus. The species accumulation curve from camera data for
both 2015 and 2016 shows a clear plateau, indicating that the sampling effort was sufficient to characterize the community of medium-sized and large mammals (Fig. 2). During the first 2,000 camera-trap days most of the mammal community was recorded (Sobs = 25), with only five more species added to the accumulation curve from an additional effort of .4,000 camera-trap days. The distribution of species across the elevational bands indicates that diversity was highest at 1,000– 1,250 m, with the highest observed species richness (Sobs = 19)at 1,250 m. Only five species were detected at .1,400 m: the oncilla Leopardus tigrinus, the spec- tacled bear, the long-tailed weasel Mustela frenata,the Andean white-eared opossum Didelphis pernigra and the pacarana Dinomys branickii. The pacarana was captured only once during the study (at 1,750 m) and the long- tailed weasel only on two occasions, at 1,450 and 1,500 m (Fig. 3; Supplementary Tables 1 & 2). Of the 34 species detected, one is categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List (the Peruvian woolly monkey Lagothrix cana), four as Vulnerable (the lowland tapir Tapirus terrestris, the spectacled bear, the oncilla and the giant anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla), and three as Near Threatened (the short-eared dog Atelocynus microtis, the margay Leopardus wiedii and the jaguar). Three of the species detected are categorized as Data Deficient (the South American red brocket deer Mazama americana, the agouti Dasyprocta variegata and the Amazon dwarf squirrel Microsciurus flaviventer), and one is yet to be assessed (the burnished saki monkey). Nineteen of the species de- tected are listed in the CITES Appendices (CITES, 2017; Supplementary Table 1). The two cameras placed specifically to monitor human
presence within the study site in 2015 detected direct hunting activity (i.e. people with guns or carrying dead wildlife) on seven occasions, and shotgun shells were found frequently on the forest floor. According to our guides, some of the hunters observed in the videos were cocaleros (people hired to harvest coca) and some were working on inventorying trees for a timber concession. One of the videos shows a hunter carrying a dead razor- billed curassow Mitu tuberosum. While camping at 1,350 m we heard two gunshots. Shortly afterwards, camera-trap footage confirmed the presence of hunters carrying two dead woolly monkeys.
FIG. 2 Species richness accumulation curve with cumulative number of camera-trap nights, for medium-sized and large mammals in Sira Communal Reserve (Fig. 1). The grey shaded area indicates the 95% confidence interval.
Discussion
The community of medium-sized and largemammals of the Cerros del Sira is exceptionally diverse, with a unique assemblage of species comprising typical lowland Amazonian species as well as high-elevation species. Illegal hunting activity was detected at 1,400 m elevation and within the protected area of the Sira Communal Reserve, despite the suggestion that themontane terrain of the Reserve probably receives little attention from hunters (Mee & Ohlson, 2001). The species richness of medium-sized and large mam-
mals reported here is higher than that reported from other highland rainforest areas of Peru (Puno = 29, Apurimac River = 31, northern Peru = 13, and Kosñipata = 14; Pacheco et al., 2007, 2011; Jiménez et al., 2010; Medina et al., 2012). Furthermore, we detected seven species additional to the 40 recorded at nearby lowland Panguana Biological Station (Hutterer et al., 1995). Four of these species have a high-elevation distribution (spectacled bear, oncilla, long- tailed weasel and Andean white-eared opossum); the other three are the pacarana, the short-eared dog and the agouti. Of particular significance was the first detection (to our knowledge) of the two largest land predators in South America at the same camera location, the spectacled bear and the jaguar, on the highest camera, at 1,920 m. Bears were captured at elevations as low as 1,050 m, and both species were subsequently recorded at a camera station at 1,418 m in Soqtapata Reserve (13.350862°S, 70.84539°W);
Oryx, 2020, 54(6), 901–908 © 2019 Fauna & Flora International doi:10.1017/S0030605318001096
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