Ocupação por anta (Tapirus terrestris, Linnaeus 1758) em uma área de transição Cerrado e Mata Atlântica no sudeste do Brasil

Abstract

The Brazilian tapir (Tapirus terrestris) has a wide distribution, covering a great biomes, which means it is present in a variety of habitats. The species, however, has suffered from the loss of these habitats due to human action, which caused it to be classified as endangered in Brazil. Knowing how an animal uses the environment is crucial to the development of management and conservation strategies, particularly in contact zones between biomes, areas of great ecological transition where habitats arising from these biomes are intertwined. The aim of this study was to identify which environmental variables influence the occupation of the species in the Private Natural Heritage Reserve Sanctuary Caraça, located in a transition zone between Cerrado and Atlantic Forest. The tapir records collection was done using camera traps and estimates of occupancy and detection were carried out according to five environmental variables. It was found negative relationship between average temperature and species detection. The percentage of forest was the most important factor for the occupation: sites with over 50% percentage of forest have a low probability of being occupied by the specie, which emphasizes the importance of remaining habitats of the reserve in the resources complementation. Tapirs need areas of forest and shrub vegetation in different regeneration stages and water supplies for survival. Therefore, measures which maintain the integrity of these habitats are crucial for the maintenance of the species population in the region.