Browsing by Autor "Zulia Porcel"

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Distribution, ecology, and conservation of Xenarthra in Bolivia — update to 2021
(2021) Enzo Aliaga‐Rossel; Carmen J. Quiroga; Ximena Velez–Liendo; Alfredo Romero‐Muñoz; Zulia Porcel; Robert B. Wallace; Guido Ayala; María Viscarra; Erika Cuéllar Soto; Teresa Tarifa
We present an update on the taxonomy, distribution, ecology, threats, and conservation status of Bolivian Xenarthra (orders Cingulata and Pilosa) based on articles published between 2010 and 2021. The Andean hairy armadillo Chaetophractus nationi has been synonymized with the less threatened C. vellero sus. Cabassous squamicaudis has been revalidated for Bolivia. Dasypus kappleri has been divided into three species; D. beniensis is the species present in Bolivia. Cyclopes didactylus was divided into seven species; C. catellus is the species in Bolivia. Chlamyphorus was divided into two genera; Calyptophractus retusus is the species in Bolivia. Recent camera trap and biodiversity surveys extend records of Xenarthra into the dry forests of the central and southern Andes of Bolivia. No comprehensive population assessment or basic ecological studies were undertaken for any Xenarthra species in the country during the period. However, indirectly, armadillos and anteaters have been included in recent studies using camera traps to evaluate effects of forest management, forest fragmentation, agriculture, and hunting on terrestrial mammals. Deforestation is the major threat to Xenarthra, exacerbated by economic pressures, policy changes, and frequent extensive fires in the past decade. The majority of xenarthrans are affected by hunting for subsistence consumption, meat sales, and/or cultural purposes. Overall, the conservation status of Xenarthra species in Bolivia is thought to be relatively stable, with vast protected areas, indigenous territories, and certified forestry concessions where deforestation and hunting are limited. However, outside of protected areas, threats are increasing. Direct research on Bolivian Xenarthra is needed, especially studies on longterm population trends, habitat preferences, and distribution in less-studied and threatened ecosystems such as the Chiquitano Dry Forest and the Bolivian-Tucumn Forest.
Promoting long-term local ownership of natural heritage through outreach: the case of the endemic Bolivian titi monkeys
(Brill, 2024) Jesús Martínez; Zulia Porcel; Pamela Carvajal; Cecilia Flores-Turdera; Cynthya Jurado; Heidy López-Strauss; Lesly López; Marco Campera; Robert B. Wallace
Adequate knowledge and learning about local biodiversity are a prerequisite for effective attitudinal changes in favour of species protection. Outreach activities are considered a useful tool for sharing information with local stakeholders who play a crucial role in conserving wildlife. We conducted two outreach campaigns focused on schoolchildren in two villages to share information on the natural history of the Bolivian endemic titi monkeys, Plecturocebus olallae and Plecturocebus modestus, to promote their conservation. We assessed the students' ability to retain new information and their understanding of biodiversity through pre- and post-questionnaires, finding an improvement in the knowledge about these two endemic primates from pre- to post-talk assessments, as well as an increase in their awareness about local efforts to preserve biodiversity between outreach campaigns. We also found signals of appropriate experiential learning on wildlife value and its relationship with human activities. Additional outreach work across two decades resulted in important achievements that reflect positive attitudinal changes in favour of the endemic primates and biodiversity, with a remarkable involvement of local people. In this way, we show how outreach work can promote important local support for biodiversity conservation, how primates can act as flagship species, and the need to reinforce knowledge acquisition and learning processes to consolidate conservation actions in the long-term.