PEQUEÑOS MAMÍFEROS NO VOLADORES DE UN BOSQUE NUBLADO DEL PARQUE NACIONAL YURUBÍ, VENEZUELA: ABUNDANCIAS RELATIVAS Y ESTRUCTURA POBLACIONAL

The collection of information on richness and population structure of mammals is essential for their conservation and management. This present study focused on an inventory and populational study of small non-volant mammals (marsupials, shrews, and rodents) from a cloud forest in Yurubi National Park, Venezuela. Conventional traps (snap traps and live traps) were used, together with four pitfall trap systems. Sixteen species of small non-volant mammals from three orders, five families, and 13 genera were recorded. Based on their capture frequencies and high abundances, Nephelomys caracolus, Cryptotis aroensis, Heteromys catopterius and Rhipidomys venustus, endemic species of Venezuela, are the most common in the area. Results suggest that, the park is functioning as an effective biodiversity preserve for small mammals and can maintain their breeding populations in a highly threatened bioregion. Due to its geographic isolation and high richness of endemic species, this area deserves management and protection programs for its ecosystems, some of them already endangered by human impacts.