Mammals under pressure: presence data for assessing extinction of endemic, threatened, and mammals subject to use, in Colombia

Abstract

This is the first dataset that provides a complete compilation of mammal records based on camera traps, human observations, and specimens deposited in biological collections in Colombia. We compiled a dataset with unpublished information, including 97,943 records corresponding to 136 species, of which 38 are endemic, 92 are identified as species subject to use by humans in the literature, and 33 are categorized either as Data Deficient or threatened according to international or unofficial national assessments. The information comes from 31 out of 32 departments of Colombia and constitutes relevant input for future distribution and conservation assessments. Most records (n=96,417, 98.44%) come from non-invasive sampling methods such as camera traps. However, we highlight the contribution of museum specimens (n= 1,332), especially for small and medium-sized species, many of them with restricted distributions in the country. This dataset constitutes a joint collaborative and interinstitutional effort that serves as the basis for cooperative work to comprehensively assess the current conservation status of all mammal species in Colombia.