Large-scale population disappearances and cycling in the white-lipped peccary, a tropical forest mammal.

Many vertebrate species undergo population fluctuations that may be random or regularly cyclic in nature. Vertebrate population cycles in northern latitudes are driven by both endogenous and exogenous factors. Suggested causes of mysterious disappearances documented for populations of the Neotropical, herd-forming, white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari, henceforth "WLP") include large-scale movements, overhunting, extreme floods, or disease outbreaks. By analyzing 43 disappearance events across the Neotropics and 88 years of commercial and subsistence harvest data for the Amazon, we show that WLP disappearances are widespread and occur regularly and at large spatiotemporal scales throughout the species' range. We present evidence that the disappearances represent 7-12-year troughs in 20-30-year WLP population cycles occurring synchronously at regional and perhaps continent-wide spatial scales as large as 10,000-5 million km2. This may represent the first documented case of natural population cyclicity in a Neotropical mammal. Because WLP populations often increase dramatically prior to a disappearance, we posit that their population cycles result from over-compensatory, density-dependent mortality. Our data also suggest that the increase phase of a WLP cycle is partly dependent on recolonization from proximal, unfragmented and undisturbed forests. This highlights the importance of very large, continuous natural areas that enable source-sink population dynamics and ensure re-colonization and local population persistence in time and space.

Assessing potential for community-based management of peccaries through common pool resource theory in the rural area of the Argentine Chaco.

Community-based management (CBM) has been recognized as an appropriate approach to conservation, assuming that local communities have higher stakes than the state in their natural resources and have better knowledge of local resources and, therefore, can manage them more efficiently. However, the implementation of CBM has not always been successful. The objective of this research was to assess the potential for the implementation of a governmental proposal for community-based management of peccaries (Tayassuidae) in the Impenetrable northern Argentine, through the examination of the reasons why arrangements to avoid overexploitation have not evolved in this region. I used the theory of common pool resources (CPRs) as a framework for this analysis. CPRs theory explains the conditions under which appropriators of a resource are likely to engage in devising and altering governing arrangements and the conditions under which such arrangements are likely to succeed. Fieldwork was conducted between June 2000 and August 2003 using a mixed methods approach. It was found that most of the condition of the resource and users identified by the CPR theory as associated with an increased likelihood of successful management of natural resources are absent or scarcely developed in the Impenetrable. Thus, the situation in the Impenetrable does not seem appropriate for the implementation of CBM of peccaries. It is first necessary to invest in training and development of local institutions' capacities and social capital. It is also important to increase the flow of relevant information, which will enable institutions to be effective, responsible, and accountable to the community. For the moment, a more appropriate approach will have to include a mixture of protectionism and comanagement of collared peccaries while the propitious conditions for a complete local management of the resource are developed.

Valor nutricional de los alimentos de Tayassu pecari (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae) en el Parque Nacional Corcovado, Costa Rica / Nutritional values in the diet of white-lipped peccary Tayassu pecari (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae) in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

We determined the potential nutritional levels in 25 species of plants, and in earthworms, that constitute part of the diet of white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica, from January 1998 to March 1999. The highest content of fat and energy was found in seeds of the Myristicacea family. The highest content of calcium was found in vegetative parts of Dieffenbachia spp. Nutritious contents differed among plant parts (seeds, fruits, stems and leaves). Fat and energy content were larger in seeds and fruits, whereas the largest content of protein was found in fruits and leaves. Mineral content also differed among plant parts. Calcium, potassium and magnesium were higher in leaves whereas copper and zinc were higher in seeds. Differences of diet between white-lipped peccaries in Corcovado and in other tropical regions of Latin America could be partially explained by our results. We found several species with higher fat and energy content than palms, which can explain the low consumption of palm seeds in Corcovado. It is possible that the regular consumption of stems and leaves of some species is related to their high mineral content. Seasonality of reproduction in Corcovado seems to be related not only to fruit availability but also to the nutritional quality of food.

Se determinó el valor nutritivo y mineral de 25 especies vegetales y una especie animal (lombriz de tierra) que forman parte de la dieta del chancho cariblanco (Tayassu pecari) en el Parque Nacional Corcovado, Costa Rica, desde enero de 1998 hasta marzo de 1999. Los mayores contenidos de grasa y energía bruta se encontraron en semillas de la familia Myristicaceae. El mayor contenido de calcio se encontró en partes vegetativas de Dieffenbachia spp. Los contenidos nutritivos fueron diferentes entre las diferentes partes vegetativas analizadas (semillas, frutos, tallos y hojas). El contenido de grasa y energía bruta fue mayor en semillas y frutos, mientras que el mayor contenido de proteina cruda se encontró en frutos y hojas. El contenido de minerales tambien fue diferente entre las partes vegetativas analizadas. Los contenidos de calcio, potasio y magnesio fueron mayores en hojas mientras que los de cobre y zinc fueron mayores en semillas. Diferencias en la dieta de los chanchos cariblancos de Corcovado con los de otras regiones tropicales de Latinoamérica pueden ser parcialmente explicadas con los resultados nutritivos de este estudio. Se encontraron varias especies con mayor contenido de grasa y energía bruta que las palmas, lo que puede explicar el bajo consumo de semillas de palmas en Corcovado. Es posible que el consumo regular de partes vegetativas (hojas y tallos) de algunas especies se deba al alto contenido mineral de estas. La estacionalidad de la reproducción parece estar relacionada no solo a la disponibilidad de alimentos sino tambien a la calidad nutritiva de los mismos.

[Nutritional values in the diet of white-lipped peccary Tayassu pecari (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae) in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica]. / Valor nutricional de los alimentos de Tayassu pecari (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae) en el Parque Nacional Corcovado, Costa Rica.

We determined the potential nutritional levels in 25 species of plants, and in earthworms, that constitute part of the diet of white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica, from January 1998 to March 1999. The highest content of fat and energy was found in seeds of the Myristicacea family. The highest content of calcium was found in vegetative parts of Dieffenbachia spp. Nutritious contents differed among plant parts (seeds, fruits, stems and leaves). Fat and energy content were larger in seeds and fruits, whereas the largest content of protein was found in fruits and leaves. Mineral content also differed among plant parts. Calcium, potassium and magnesium were higher in leaves whereas copper and zinc were higher in seeds. Differences of diet between white-lipped peccaries in Corcovado and in other tropical regions of Latin America could be partially explained by our results. We found several species with higher fat and energy content than palms, which can explain the low consumption of palm seeds in Corcovado. It is possible that the regular consumption of stems and leaves of some species is related to their high mineral content. Seasonality of reproduction in Corcovado seems to be related not only to fruit availability but also to the nutritional quality of food.

White-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari, Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae) diet and fruit availability in a Costa Rican rain forest

We studied fruit availability, diet and habitat use by white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) in Corcovado National Park, southwest Costa Rica, from July 1996 to April 1997. The results show that the availability of important fruits for the white-lipped peccary differs between habitats and climatic seasons. Fruit availability was highest in the primary forest than secondary and coastal forest. There was a period of shortage of fruits to ends of the wet season, during which the consumption of not seasonal resources like leaves and shafts increased. The important fruits during this period of shortage were Ficus sp and Licania operculipetala. The several types of forest were used according to the fruit availability, and it was a direct relation between the consumption and the fruit availability.

Sex ratio and breeding of white-lipped peccaries Tayassu pecari (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae) in a Costa Rican rain forest

White-lipped peccaries are non-seasonal breeders in South America, but little is known about their reproduction in Central America. There are few studies about the sex ratio of this species in the field. We studied the reproduction and sex ratio of white-lipped peccaries during 200 hours of field observation of four radiomarked and two unmarked herds, from July 1996 to April 1997, in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica. Sex ratio data of three additional, radiomarked herds observed in 1998 were also included. We recorded numbers of mountings, presence of newborns and numbers of nursing interactions. The peccaries showed a distinct reproductive seasonality, with one mating peak in February and another in July. The greatest number of newborns and the peak in nursing activity were observed during July and August, when fruit availability for the peccaries was high. The adult sex ratio was significantly female biased (1.4:1-1.8:1), also in contrast with South American populations.

Dieta estacional del Tayassu pecari (Artiodactyla: Tyassuidae) en el Parque Nacional Corcovado, Costa Rica / Seasonal diet of Tayassu pecari (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae) in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

The diet of the white-lipped peccari Tayassu pecari was studied from July 1996 to April 1997 in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica, through fecal analysis and direct observations. The feces consisted of 61.6 porcent fruits, 37.5 porcent vegetative parts, 0.4 porcent invertebrates and 0.5 porcent unidentified material. These proportions are similar to those reported for white-lipped peccaries diet in South America, but the species consumed were different. In represented family. In contrast, the diet of the Peruvian Amazon peccary primarily consists of plant parts (Arecaceae). Costa Rican peccary diet consisted of vegetative parts from Araceae and Heliconaceae. Direct observation showed that peccaries spent 30 porcent of feeding time rooting. Samples take from rooting sites suggest that peccaries fed on earthworms. Diet differed between months, season and habitats. They are more fruitsin coastal and primary forest and more vegetative parts in secondary forest. In the months Octubrer and November the comsuption of vegetative parts exceeded fruit consumption. Key words: Seasonal diet, fecal analysis, direct observations, Tayassu pecari, white-lipped peccary, rain forest, Costa Rica