Effects of hunting in habitat fragments of the Atlantic forests, Brazil

This study evaluates the impact of hunting on mammalian and avian species in Atlantic forest fragments of the Mata de Planalto in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Colonists who farm on the edge of fragments also hunt for subsistence within fragments. Hunters commonly take the two peccary species, tapir, brocket deer, armadillos and agoutis. Primates are rarely hunted in this region. Effects of hunting on species were measured by changes in relative abundance of species between four sites with similar sizes (approximately 2000 ha each), but different hunting pressures (two slightly hunted and two heavily hunted). In addition, one large protected area (35 000 ha) was also censused. Species abundances were measured during 18 months along 2287 km of line transects. Abundances of tapirs, brocket deer, white-lipped peccaries, armadillos and coatis decreased between slightly hunted and heavily hunted sites. Abundances of collared peccaries, agoutis, primates and guans did not show any trends with hunting pressure. Extirpations of tapirs and white-lipped peccaries at heavily hunted sites suggest that in forest remnants encroached by people, hunting exacerbates effects of fragmentation, such as genetics and demographics, and is probably the most important factor in emptying these forests of large species over the short-term.