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Selective impacts of subsistence hunting on mammal communities in Manu National Park, Peru

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Laura Braunholtz, Dr Becky Sanderson, Professor Marion PfeiferORCiD

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

Research on impacts of subsistence hunting on habitat use and species communities of forest wildlife is limited. Subsistence hunting of mammals in one of the world’s most biodiverse region, Manu National Park, Peru, is considered sustainable but this is based on sparse evidence. We analysed change in species relative abundance and functional composition of mammal communities, including non-hunted species along a hunting pressure gradient. We used camera trap data and tested for confounding effects of environmental and disturbance gradients (distances to rivers, lakes, settlements, and trails; NDVI at survey point). We found that sites with no hunting or at further distances from settlements harbour relatively more species with a larger body mass, long generation lengths and small litters (primarily carnivores: 36% at non-hunted site vs 13-29% at hunted sites), indicating selective impacts of hunting pressure on mammal communities. However, all carnivore species still occurred at all sites. Species with a smaller body mass, short generation lengths, and large litters were more prevalent at the hunted sites (mostly rodents: 23 – 31% at hunted sites vs 20% at non-hunted site). Surprisingly, large herbivores appeared unaffected by hunting despite being one of the most hunted mammals in Manu (25% at non-hunted site vs 23-27% at hunted sites). Our findings suggest that current hunting pressure is largely sustainable with only local depletion of a few sensitive species. Habitat is more important for some species than hunting pressure (e.g. distance to lake), further emphasizing the importance of local forest management.


Publication metadata

Author(s): McFarlane JJ, Mujica Chacón O, Arauco-Aliaga RP, Braunholtz L, Sanderson R, Pfeifer M

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Biotropica

Year: 2024

Pages: Epub ahead of print

Online publication date: 26/07/2024

Acceptance date: 03/07/2024

Date deposited: 04/07/2024

ISSN (print): 0006-3606

ISSN (electronic): 1744-7429

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.13367

DOI: 10.1111/btp.13367

Data Access Statement: Data and R script are available from Figshare at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6627224.v3


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
BBSRC Global Challenges Research Fund (Project Number: BB/S014586/1)
Gilchrist Educational Trust's Expedition Grant
Harry Collinson Award
Newcastle University Expedition Grant
SNES Travel Award
Royal Geographic Society's Geographical Fieldwork Grant

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