Records of mammals of larger size in the Morro Grande Forest Reserve, Sao Paulo

Abstract

Large mammals are known to be important for the maintenance of biological processes and diversity and to be highly susceptible to extinction in fragmented landscapes. However, there are few studies focusing on the community of large mammals in Atlantic Forest remnants. This study aims at surveying large mammals in a remnant of Atlantic forest near to São Paulo. The studied area is the Morro Grande Forest Reserve (RFMG), with 10.870 ha, located in the municipality of Cotia, SP. Seven areas inside the RFMG were studied with two methodologies: 1) line transect sampling and 2) sand plots for footprint recording. Others records of mammal species were also considered. Eighteen species of seven orders were found in the Reserve and were classified in four dietary categories being eight omnivorous, five herbivore, four frugivores and just one carnivorous. The line transect sampling recorded six species of three orders and footprint sampling recorded seven species of five orders. The smaller species, as the squirrel (Sciurus aestuans), the opossum (Didelphis aurita) and the brazilian rabbit (Sylvilagus brasiliense), were the most frequently recorded, and they were present in almost all the study's areas. The prevalence of smaller species and, the presence of some generalist species, indicate the high degree of disturbance and the low quality of this Reserve. The Reserva Florestal do Morro Grande do not maintain the integrity of large mammal community.