Vertebrate mortality in the Guanare-Guanarito road, Portuguesa state, Venezuela

Seijas, Andrés Eloy; Araujo Quintero, Alexis; Velásquez, Nadines

Mortalidad de vertebrados en la carretera Guanare-Guanarito, estado Portuguesa, Venezuela

dc.creator	Seijas, Andrés Eloy
dc.creator	Araujo Quintero, Alexis
dc.creator	Velásquez, Nadines
dc.date	2013-12-18
dc.date.accessioned	2016-05-03T15:26:45Z
dc.date.available	2016-05-03T15:26:45Z
dc.identifier	http://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rbt/article/view/12803
dc.identifier	10.15517/rbt.v61i4.12803
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/10669/25955
dc.description	Roads directly or indirectly affect the structure, dynamics and function of ecosystems that they traverse. Most studies on the effect of roads on wildlife focus on the evaluation of mortality of vertebrates by vehicle collisions. Despite the extensive road network that exists in Venezuela, studies of wildlife mortality in them are scarce. In this paper, we analyzed the temporal and spatial pattern of vertebrate’s collisions along the road Guanare-Guanarito, in Portuguesa state. We travelled 26 times between these towns (74km) to localize dead vertebrates, at a speed of 50-60km/h. of those trips were conducted from March 13 to October 26, 2010, and 10 additional trips from December 7, 2009 to December 14, 2010; these ones, with the aim to include months and seasons that were insufficiently sampled during the first period. The elapsed time between trips varied from 14 to 37 days. The total distance traveled was 1 924km. Dead animals found amounted 464 individuals, 66 of them were birds (25 identified species), 130 mammals (15 species) and 268 reptiles (18 species). The species with the highest number of individuals were the snake Leptodeira annulata (n=119), the oppossum Didelphis marsupialis (n=39) and the spectacled caiman Caiman crocodilus (n=33). Excluding domestic animals, the rate of road-killed vertebrates was 0.2282indiv./km, a figure 28.3% higher than previous studies in the same road. Changes in the relative number of collisions for some species, respect to the numbers reported 20 years ago, were linked to the increase in traffic flow and changes in land use. Road segments with collision rates higher than expected by chance were identified. Collition by cars may be the principal cause of mortality for species like the tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla) and the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), the last considered a vulnerable species. Some basic measures are proposed to reduce wildlife mortality on the road.	en-US
dc.description	Uno de los aspectos más investigados en relación a la “ecología de la carretera” es el atropellamiento de vertebrados silvestres. Se evaluó la distribución espacial y temporal de los atropellos de vertebrados en la carretera Guanare-Guanarito, estado Portuguesa, Venezuela. Desde 2008 hasta el 2010 se realizaron 26 viajes en carro a lo largo de 74km, a 50-60km/h, para un total recorrido de 1 924km. Se encontraron 464 animales muertos: 66 aves (25 especies), 130 mamíferos (15 especies) y 268 reptiles (18 especies). La serpiente Leptodeira annulata (n=119), el rabipelado Didelphis marsupialis (n=39) y la baba Caiman crocodilus (n=33) fueron las especies con mayor frecuencia de atropellos. Excluyendo a los animales domésticos, se localizaron 0.2282indviv./km; cifra 28.30% mayor que la reportada en estudios previos en la misma vía. Los cambios en la frecuencia relativa de atropellos de algunas especies con respecto a los reportados hace 20 años, se relacionan con el incremento en el flujo vehicular y por modificaciones en el uso de la tierra. Se identificaron segmentos donde el número de individuos atropellados supera al esperado por azar. Los atropellos pudieran ser la principal causa de mortalidad para especies como el oso melero (Tamandua tetradactyla) y el oso hormiguero (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), esta última considerada como una especie vulnerable. Se recomiendan algunas medidas básicas para disminuir la mortalidad de fauna en la carretera.	es-ES
dc.format	application/pdf
dc.language	spa
dc.publisher	Universidad de Costa Rica	en-US
dc.rights	Copyright (c) 2014 International Journal of Tropical Biology and Conservation	en-US
dc.source	Revista de Biología Tropical/International Journal of Tropical Biology and Conservation; Vol. 61 (4) December 2013	en-US
dc.source	Revista de Biología Tropical/International Journal of Tropical Biology and Conservation; Vol. 61 (4) December 2013	es-ES
dc.source	Revista Biología Tropical; Vol. 61 (4) December 2013	pt-PT
dc.source	2215-2075
dc.source	0034-7744
dc.source	10.15517/rbt.v61i4
dc.subject	roadkills	en-US
dc.subject	wildlife conservation	en-US
dc.subject	venezuelan llanos	en-US
dc.subject	leptodeira annulata	en-US
dc.subject	myrmecophaga tridactyla	en-US
dc.subject	fauna atropellada	es-ES
dc.subject	conservación de fauna	es-ES
dc.subject	llanos de venezuela	es-ES
dc.subject	leptodeira annulata	es-ES
dc.subject	myrmecophaga tridactyla	es-ES
dc.title	Vertebrate mortality in the Guanare-Guanarito road, Portuguesa state, Venezuela	en-US
dc.title	Mortalidad de vertebrados en la carretera Guanare-Guanarito, estado Portuguesa, Venezuela	es-ES
dc.type	artículo original

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