Abstract

ARISPE, Rosario; VENEGAS, Claudia  and  RUMIZ, Damián. Abundance and activity patterns of the Crab Eating Raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus) in a Chiquitano forest of Bolivia. Mastozool. neotrop. [online]. 2008, vol.15, n.2, pp.323-333. ISSN 0327-9383.

The crab-eating raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus) is a carnivore widely distributed in Central and South America, but due to its nocturnal habits and evasive conduct, little is known about its natural history. This study reports the first data on home range, abundance and activity of raccoons based on systematic camera trap surveys conducted in the Chiquitano dry forest of San Miguelito ranch. Two sampling efforts (Sep 17-Nov 21, 2002, and Jun 5-Aug 8, 2004) totaled 3197 camera trap-nights and rendered 133 captures of 17 and 15 individuals, respectively, recognizable by the number, width, and shape of the tail rings. By applying capture-recapture statistics we estimated abundances of 20 and 22 individuals and population densities of 19 and 40 individuals/100 km². Records of single individuals at several stations allowed us to estimate travel distances of 0.7-4.2 km and minimum observed ranges of 0.28-1.97 km². Raccoons traveled through most of the available habitats except Cerrado forests, and seemed to prefer dirt roads over trails, salt licks, river banks, and springs. Given the preference for roads and differences in individual capture probability, the estimation of abundance needs to be based on individual recognition, and comparisons require that effort be distributed evenly across types of sites and habitats. Camera trapping has been a successful methodology to get the first data on density and behavior of this species for Bolivia.

Keywords : Camera Traps; Capture-recapture; Censuses; Density; Procyonidae.

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