Abstract

CARRILLO-REYNA, Natalia; REYNA-HURTADO, Rafael  and  SCHMOOK, Birgit. Relative abundance and habitat selection of Tapirus bairdii in the Calakmul and Balam Kú reserves, Campeche, Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodiv. [online]. 2015, vol.86, n.1, pp.202-207. ISSN 2007-8706.  https://doi.org/10.7550/rmb.40247.

The study reports on the relative abundance and habitat selection of Tapirus bairdii in the Calakmul and Balam Kú reserves in the state of Campeche, Mexico, in 3 sites along a humidity gradient in the Yucatan Peninsula, with rainfall and humidity increasing from north to south. A total of 120 km of linear transects were established where tapir tracks, relative abundance index and habitat variables like food and vegetation were recorded. The abundance index was reinforced through the installation of automatic camera-traps at 9 waterholes in the 3 sites. A relative abundance index of 0.33 tracks/km and 17 records/1,000 day-traps were obtained. No differences were found in the relative abundances of tapirs between sites, or habitat preferences. This work provides information of the abundance of tapirs in Calakmul and Balam Kú where few studies for this species have been undertaken; suggesting that in these reserves tapirs can exist in drier habitats and can behave as generalist in terms of habitat use.

Keywords : Preferences; Availability; Resources; Central American tapir; State reserve.