Papers by FERNANDO M. CONTRERAS MORENO
REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS, 2024
The Yucatán Dwarf Short-tailed Snake (Tantillita canula)
is a diminutive and uncommon snake (SVL ... more The Yucatán Dwarf Short-tailed Snake (Tantillita canula)
is a diminutive and uncommon snake (SVL 145 mm,
TL 180 mm). The head is slightly distinct from the neck in
dorsal view, the eyes are small with round pupils, and the
tail is short. Dorsal scales are smooth, and the cloacal plate is
divided. Dorsal coloration is brown to tan, with a light vertebral
stripe in most individuals. The head is darker with irregular
light spots on the snout and parietal scales, and the venter
is cream or yellowish (Lee 1996; Heimes 2016).
Revista Colombiana de Ciencia Animal-RECIA, 2024
The spatial occurrence patterns of wild species are an expression of multiscale and multifactoria... more The spatial occurrence patterns of wild species are an expression of multiscale and multifactorial processes acting simultaneously. The introduction of domestic species in sites close to native species may culminate in interspecific competition. Interactions include predation by dogs, interference competition, exploitation competition, and diseasemediated competition. This note documents an event in which a tapir shows a negative interaction with a dog. The records reported in this note were located in the Santa Rosa ejido, in the municipality of Calakmul in the Selva Maya in southeastern Mexico. As part of the project "Monitoring wildlife in communities of Calakmul", 49 photo-trapping stations were placed from December 2021 to June 2022. With an accumulated sampling effort of 5,489 days/trap, where photographs were obtained showing a tapir in a defensive behavior towards a dog. The Maya Forest has been considered the area with the most important population of tapirs in Mexico, the increase in the human population and domestic animals, potentiates future interspecific interactions between native fauna and dogs, something relevant in relation to zoonosis in landscapes modified by humans.
Huitzil Revista Mexicana de Ornitología
Reportamos la presencia de dos individuos juveniles de zopilote rey, Sarcoramphus papa, en la Sel... more Reportamos la presencia de dos individuos juveniles de zopilote rey, Sarcoramphus papa, en la Selva La Montaña localizada al suroeste del Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Silvestre Laguna de Términos, Campeche, México. Realizamos el registro por medio de fotografías utilizando cámaras trampa. La presencia de esta especie protegida en el área evidencia la importancia que tiene la región de la Selva La Montaña para la conservación de la biodiversidad, especialmente para especies en peligro de extinción.
El aprovechamiento de la fauna silvestre es una actividad comun en las comunidades rurales en el ... more El aprovechamiento de la fauna silvestre es una actividad comun en las comunidades rurales en el Parque Estatal La Sierra de Tabasco. En este estudio se presentan los patrones de caza y preferencia de presas por cazadores endos sierras del estado de Tabasco. Se registraron nueve especies de mamiferos silvestres como presas de caza.El numero de individuos cazados vario entre especies y entre sierras. Dasypus novemcintus y Cuniculus paca fueron las especies mas cazadas en ambas sierras aportando una biomasa del 63% del total. La especie menos cazada en Tapijulapa fue Procyon lotor, mientras que en Poana Odocoileus virginianus y Dasyprocta puntacta.La biomasa total de los mamiferos cazados fue de 749 kg. Se registro un total de 131 cacerias en ambas sierras, de las cuales 90% fueron exitosas aportando 137 presas. El esfuerzo de caza fue similar entre sierras. Pecari tajacu y D. novemcintus fueron las especies con mayor abundancia registrada en ambas sierras. Los valores culturales y mi...
Ecology, 2020
Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate... more Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non‐detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non‐governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, muse...
Ecology, 2020
Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become in... more Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become invasive, it must be voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into a nonnative habitat. Mammals were among first taxa to be introduced worldwide for game, meat, and labor, yet the number of species introduced in the Neotropics remains unknown. In this data set, we make available occurrence and abundance data on mammal species that (1) transposed a geographical barrier and (2) were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into the Neotropics. Our data set is composed of 73,738 historical and current georeferenced records on alien mammal species of which around 96% correspond to occurrence data on 77 species belonging to eight orders and 26 families. Data cover 26 continental countries in the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico and its frontier regions (southern Florida and coastal‐central Florida in the southeast United States) to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, and t...
Kuxulkab', 2018
Actualmente el valor que se le da a la fauna silvestre se encuentra influenciado por el estado de... more Actualmente el valor que se le da a la fauna silvestre se encuentra influenciado por el estado de conservación en las listas nacionales e internacionales de especies en riesgo. Sin embargo, existen muchas especies que son aprovechadas constantemente en México y que no se encuentran en estas listas, por lo que por años han sido ignoradas por los grupos académicos y de conservación. La importancia de estas especies deriva de la derrama económica por actividades cinegéticas, además de funcionar como alimento para los pobladores locales. Es necesario establecer estrategias, en las que se incluya a estas especies, que permitan el acceso a recursos para realizar estudios que contribuyan a esclarecer su estatus poblacional en las diferentes regiones del sureste de México. Palabras clave: Especie cinegética; conservación; mamíferos; cacería; poblaciones. Keywords: Huntable species; conservation; mammals; hunting; populations.
Ecology, 2019
Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance,... more Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic...
Therya, 2016
Variables del paisaje que determinan la presencia de los venados temazates (Mazama sp.) en el oes... more Variables del paisaje que determinan la presencia de los venados temazates (Mazama sp.) en el oeste del estado de Campeche, México
Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 2014
Se presenta el primer registro de una población de cerdos asilvestrados en el sureste de México, ... more Se presenta el primer registro de una población de cerdos asilvestrados en el sureste de México, específicamente en la región suroeste de la Laguna de Términos, Campeche. Se obtuvieron con trampas cámara 14 registros fotográficos de cerdos asilvestrados en 3 diferentes sitios, durante los años 2012 y 2013. Los registros incluyeron machos, hembras y hembras con crías. Los efectos de esta población de cerdos asilvestrados sobre la biodiversidad local deben ser investigados para determinar los riesgos, así como las posibles acciones de manejo para controlar o, en su caso, erradicar a esta especie de la región. Palabras clave: especies introducidas, daños económicos, pecarí, jabalí.
Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 2012
presencia del venado temazate rojo Mazama temama. Mediante el uso de cámaras trampa se obtuvieron... more presencia del venado temazate rojo Mazama temama. Mediante el uso de cámaras trampa se obtuvieron los primeros registros fotográficos de esta especie en las localidades
Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 2012
We report at least one group of white lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) in Selva La Montaña locat... more We report at least one group of white lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) in Selva La Montaña located in the southwestern portion of the Términos Lagoon Flora and Fauna Protection Area, Campeche, Mexico. The record was obtained using camera traps. The presence of this species in the area shows the importance of the region for biodiversity conservation, particularly for protected species.
Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 2013
El coyote (Canis latrans) es una especie que en los últimos 30 años se ha expandido en las áreas ... more El coyote (Canis latrans) es una especie que en los últimos 30 años se ha expandido en las áreas tropicales de México y Centroamérica. En esta nota se registra por primera vez esta especie en el estado de Campeche, México. Utilizando fototrampeo, de mayo de 2009 a julio de 2012 se obtuvieron 29 registros de coyotes provenientes de 7 sitios localizados en el oeste del estado. El registro de coyotes en Campeche incrementa de 15 a 16 las especies de carnívoros reportadas para el estado.
Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 2020
Relaciones ecológicas entre pecaríes de collar y cerdos asilvestrados en el sur de México: ¿evide... more Relaciones ecológicas entre pecaríes de collar y cerdos asilvestrados en el sur de México: ¿evidencia de la división de nicho? Ecological relationships between collared peccaries and feral pigs in southern Mexico: evidence for niche partitioning?
Revista Latinoamericana de Herpetología, 2024
This study shows the results of a herpetofaunal inventory carried out in the municipality of Bala... more This study shows the results of a herpetofaunal inventory carried out in the municipality of Balancán, Tabasco, Mexico, during the rainy and northern season of 2019 and dry season of 2020. For data collection, systematic day and night surveys were conducted using the inspection technique by time-limited visual encounter (VES) in three types of vegetation: grassland = PAST, jungle = SELV and forest = BOSQ. We accumulated a sampling effort of 288 search person-hours, observing a total of 564 individuals of 43 species, 13 amphibians and 30 reptiles, belonging to four orders, 22 families and 37 genera. The vegetation type that presented the greatest richness was the SELV with 30 species, followed by the BOSQ with 29 and finally the PAST with 28 species. The species accumulation curves generated for both groups indicated a high representativeness during the study period. Based on the Jaccard index, the vegetation types BOSQ and PAST showed a similarity value of 50% (J = 0.5), while SELV and BOSQ presented the least similarity with 47% (J = 0.47). Of the total registered species, 12 are listed within some risk category for Mexico. Internationally, 37 species are listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and three species are listed on Appendices I and II of CITES. According to the EVS, 17 species presented a moderate or high environmental vulnerability score. This work constitutes the first systematic inventory of amphibians and reptiles for the municipality of Balancán, providing information on their diversity and serving as a baseline for future research and conservation projects focused on this faunal group.
El Periplo Sustentable, 2024
The Centauro del Norte ejido is located in the southern zone of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (R... more The Centauro del Norte ejido is located in the southern zone of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (RBC), in Campeche, Mexico, and has a Voluntary
Conservation Area (ADVC) with a tropical rainforest ecosystem, characteristic of the region. There are social and economic deficiencies in the ejido
that place the entire municipality in a low level of human wellbeing. 74.3% of the inhabitants live in poverty, including 23.5% of those living in extreme
poverty. Ecotourism has been identified as a way to obtain sustainable use of natural resources with minimal disturbance to the environment while
earning an economic income. In order to contribute to the knowledge and analysis of the ecotourism factors that can influence the success of this
activity, a multifactorial analysis was carried out based on the Ecotourism Potential Index (EPI) to determine if there is ecotourism potential in the
ADVC. Ten different aspects were evaluated in three areas: Local Perception, Tourism Elements, and Biological Importance. Semi-structured surveys
of ejido residents, literature searches and analysis of tourism data were conducted to identify the pros and cons in relation to the success of an
ecotourism project. In addition, from October to September 2019, camera trap sampling was conducted to identify mammal species that would
contribute to the ecotourism relevance of the site. The PSI generated suggests that there is the potential to carry out an ecotourism project in
the ADVC and obtain positive results. The variables “accessibility to the ADVC”, “diversity of activities” and “tourist influx to the municipality” are the
aspects in which it is necessary to invest efforts if an optimal result is expected from an ecotourism project in the site. The “ecotourism relevance”
aspect stands out as it was shown to be ideal and considerably superior to the control site, located in the core zone of the CBR, exhibits the exceptional
natural conditions of the site and can be considered a comparative advantage for an ecotourism proposal.
Therya, 2024
Artificial water troughs have been implemented in the Calakmul region as a measure that contribut... more Artificial water troughs have been implemented in the Calakmul region as a measure that contributes to the maintenance of wildlife populations during the drought season. The aim of this study was to estimate the use of artificial water troughs by three species of deer (Odocoileus virginianus, M. pandora, and Mazama temama) in the Maya Forest of Campeche in southeastern México. The study was carried out in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (CBR, in Spanish) in southeastern México. Seventy artificial water troughs were installed, most of them within the core areas of the CBR. Between December 2018 and August 2021, eight digital traps were placed in eight artificial water troughs to monitor the presence of deer. The Photographic Visit Index (PVI) was calculated, and the visit rates of each species were compared by sampling year for each monitoring station. Deer activity patterns were evaluated using circular statistics to assess whether there were differences between visiting times. Watson-Williams tests were performed during the different sampling months. The density of records was analyzed to identify the degree of overlap in the deer activity patterns. With a sampling effort of 4,672 nights/camera, we captured 477 records of O. virginianus, 229 of M. pandora, and three of M. temama using artificial water troughs in the CBR. Due to the scarce records of M. temama in water troughs, comparative analyses were performed only with the other two deer species. According to the PVI, in the case of O. virginianus, highly significant differences were found between the three sampling years (H = 12.575, df = 2, P < 0.001); similarly, M. pandora showed highly significant differences between sampling years (H = 9.29, df = 2, P = 0.001). Regarding activity patterns, O. virginianus is mainly diurnal, with peaks of activity in the early hours of the day (8:00 h to 9:00 h). M. pandora was also mainly diurnal, showing the highest peaks of activity in the early hours of the day and before dusk. O. virginianus and M. pandora regularly visit water troughs, and the presence of deer in water troughs responds to their need to drink water for thermoregulation. The activity pattern of deer was mainly diurnal; it is safer for both species to move during the day because predators were recorded constantly in the study area. The degree of overlap recorded between O. virginianus and M. pandora suggests that both species are active at the same times of the day.
Therya, 2024
Artificial Water Ponds (AWP) are widely employed for preserving and managing white-tailed deer (O... more Artificial Water Ponds (AWP) are widely employed for preserving and managing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in arid, and tropical regions of Mexico. However, there is a significant knowledge gap concerning the impact of these AWP on white-tailed deer activity. To determine the effect of AWP on the ecological aspects of white-tailed deer, we assessed the visitation rates and activity patterns of this species in AWP and compared them with areas devoid of water such as Dirt Roads (DR) using camera traps during the dry season within the seasonal wetland region of Nicte Ha, situated in western Campeche, Mexico. The research was conducted in a highly seasonal tropical wetland area at the Nicte-Ha UMA in southwestern Campeche, México. We established set camera trap stations during the dry season of 2019, 2020, and 2021 in seven AWP and 12 DR that operated for at least 80 days and compared the white-tailed deer visitation rate (measured as the Relative Abundance Index, RAI) and activity patterns among both treatments and across the three studied years. We collected a total of 3,640 independent records of white-tailed deer (2,584 in AWP and 1,056 in DR) for three years, with a combined effort of 3,978 camera days (1,306 camera days in AWP and 2,672 in DR). Our analysis revealed that the Relative Abundance Index (RAI) was consistently higher in the AWP than the DR across the three study years. However, we examined RAI variations over the three years and observed differences in the AWP, while the DR exhibited a relatively stable pattern. In the case of the activity patterns, we observed that white-tailed deer were primarily diurnal, with a significant overlap in activity between the two treatment areas. Nonetheless, within the AWP, the species exhibited continuous daytime activity, whereas, in the PR, distinct activity peaks occurred during sunrise and sunset. The results show that the presence of AWP in Nicte Ha has important effects on the presence of white-tailed deer during the dry season since we observed that there is a higher RAI in the sites where there is AWP compared to the PR sites. In the case of activity patterns, the AWP sites maintain constant activity throughout the day compared to DR, where activity peaks associated with sunrise and sunset occur. Our results show the importance that this type of structure has for the management of the species during the dry season of the year in Nicte Ha and the potential benefits of these structures in tropical seasonal areas, especially under a scenario in which drought during the dry season may be more severe in the near future due to the global change.
Mammalogy Notes, 2023
In Mexico Neogale frenata is distributed throughout most of the country, however, the species has... more In Mexico Neogale frenata is distributed throughout most of the country, however, the species has been little studied and the information on its natural history is relatively scarce. We report new records of N. frenata obtained by photo-trapping in the Calakmul region, which constitute the second formal record of this mammal for the state of Campeche and the first for the region. Which brings the total records for this species to 7 in the state.
Therya ixmana, 2023
Vivir en grupo puede tener muchas ventajas y ser clave
para la sobrevivencia de las especies, una... more Vivir en grupo puede tener muchas ventajas y ser clave
para la sobrevivencia de las especies, una de las principales
razones por las que la vida social es ventajosa podría estar
relacionada con la colaboración que se da entre sus integrantes
para obtener alimento o para defenderse de sus depredadores.
Por otro lado, el jaguar (Panthera onca) es considerado el
principal depredador del pecarí de labios blancos, sin embargo,
no es una presa fácil. Los hábitos gregarios y de autodefensa
del pecarí le permiten contratacar en grupo, esta es una de las
razones por las que se ha planteado que la complexión robusta
y fuerza de mordedura del jaguar, responde a una adaptación
para depredar preferentemente a pecaríes.
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Papers by FERNANDO M. CONTRERAS MORENO
is a diminutive and uncommon snake (SVL 145 mm,
TL 180 mm). The head is slightly distinct from the neck in
dorsal view, the eyes are small with round pupils, and the
tail is short. Dorsal scales are smooth, and the cloacal plate is
divided. Dorsal coloration is brown to tan, with a light vertebral
stripe in most individuals. The head is darker with irregular
light spots on the snout and parietal scales, and the venter
is cream or yellowish (Lee 1996; Heimes 2016).
Conservation Area (ADVC) with a tropical rainforest ecosystem, characteristic of the region. There are social and economic deficiencies in the ejido
that place the entire municipality in a low level of human wellbeing. 74.3% of the inhabitants live in poverty, including 23.5% of those living in extreme
poverty. Ecotourism has been identified as a way to obtain sustainable use of natural resources with minimal disturbance to the environment while
earning an economic income. In order to contribute to the knowledge and analysis of the ecotourism factors that can influence the success of this
activity, a multifactorial analysis was carried out based on the Ecotourism Potential Index (EPI) to determine if there is ecotourism potential in the
ADVC. Ten different aspects were evaluated in three areas: Local Perception, Tourism Elements, and Biological Importance. Semi-structured surveys
of ejido residents, literature searches and analysis of tourism data were conducted to identify the pros and cons in relation to the success of an
ecotourism project. In addition, from October to September 2019, camera trap sampling was conducted to identify mammal species that would
contribute to the ecotourism relevance of the site. The PSI generated suggests that there is the potential to carry out an ecotourism project in
the ADVC and obtain positive results. The variables “accessibility to the ADVC”, “diversity of activities” and “tourist influx to the municipality” are the
aspects in which it is necessary to invest efforts if an optimal result is expected from an ecotourism project in the site. The “ecotourism relevance”
aspect stands out as it was shown to be ideal and considerably superior to the control site, located in the core zone of the CBR, exhibits the exceptional
natural conditions of the site and can be considered a comparative advantage for an ecotourism proposal.
para la sobrevivencia de las especies, una de las principales
razones por las que la vida social es ventajosa podría estar
relacionada con la colaboración que se da entre sus integrantes
para obtener alimento o para defenderse de sus depredadores.
Por otro lado, el jaguar (Panthera onca) es considerado el
principal depredador del pecarí de labios blancos, sin embargo,
no es una presa fácil. Los hábitos gregarios y de autodefensa
del pecarí le permiten contratacar en grupo, esta es una de las
razones por las que se ha planteado que la complexión robusta
y fuerza de mordedura del jaguar, responde a una adaptación
para depredar preferentemente a pecaríes.
is a diminutive and uncommon snake (SVL 145 mm,
TL 180 mm). The head is slightly distinct from the neck in
dorsal view, the eyes are small with round pupils, and the
tail is short. Dorsal scales are smooth, and the cloacal plate is
divided. Dorsal coloration is brown to tan, with a light vertebral
stripe in most individuals. The head is darker with irregular
light spots on the snout and parietal scales, and the venter
is cream or yellowish (Lee 1996; Heimes 2016).
Conservation Area (ADVC) with a tropical rainforest ecosystem, characteristic of the region. There are social and economic deficiencies in the ejido
that place the entire municipality in a low level of human wellbeing. 74.3% of the inhabitants live in poverty, including 23.5% of those living in extreme
poverty. Ecotourism has been identified as a way to obtain sustainable use of natural resources with minimal disturbance to the environment while
earning an economic income. In order to contribute to the knowledge and analysis of the ecotourism factors that can influence the success of this
activity, a multifactorial analysis was carried out based on the Ecotourism Potential Index (EPI) to determine if there is ecotourism potential in the
ADVC. Ten different aspects were evaluated in three areas: Local Perception, Tourism Elements, and Biological Importance. Semi-structured surveys
of ejido residents, literature searches and analysis of tourism data were conducted to identify the pros and cons in relation to the success of an
ecotourism project. In addition, from October to September 2019, camera trap sampling was conducted to identify mammal species that would
contribute to the ecotourism relevance of the site. The PSI generated suggests that there is the potential to carry out an ecotourism project in
the ADVC and obtain positive results. The variables “accessibility to the ADVC”, “diversity of activities” and “tourist influx to the municipality” are the
aspects in which it is necessary to invest efforts if an optimal result is expected from an ecotourism project in the site. The “ecotourism relevance”
aspect stands out as it was shown to be ideal and considerably superior to the control site, located in the core zone of the CBR, exhibits the exceptional
natural conditions of the site and can be considered a comparative advantage for an ecotourism proposal.
para la sobrevivencia de las especies, una de las principales
razones por las que la vida social es ventajosa podría estar
relacionada con la colaboración que se da entre sus integrantes
para obtener alimento o para defenderse de sus depredadores.
Por otro lado, el jaguar (Panthera onca) es considerado el
principal depredador del pecarí de labios blancos, sin embargo,
no es una presa fácil. Los hábitos gregarios y de autodefensa
del pecarí le permiten contratacar en grupo, esta es una de las
razones por las que se ha planteado que la complexión robusta
y fuerza de mordedura del jaguar, responde a una adaptación
para depredar preferentemente a pecaríes.
resources in space and time (Turchin 1998). Animal movement reflects a wide range
of phenomena, including habitat use, foraging and depredation (Gurarie et al. 2011),
dispersal and migration (Delgado et al. 2010), social and territorial behaviors
(Moorcroft et al. 1999), as well as coexistence with competitors (Keeling and
Grenfell 1997) and community interactions (Hanski 1998). Animal movement usually
is influenced by different factors, including the individual (age, sex, size, reproductive
status), population (density and abundance, social interactions) as well as
habitat characteristics (availability of resources, quality and quantity of resources,
geographic barriers), and intensity of human activities (Webb et al. 2010; Salek
et al. 2015).