Abstract

Protected areas play a fundamental role in the preservation of species, environmental education, and ecosystem services maintenance. Most of the world population live in urban areas, which highlight the importance of preserved areas in urban centers. However, many urban protected areas in Brazil lack species surveys, which limits biodiversity conservation and implementation of management plans. In this study, we surveyed the species of medium and large mammals of Chico Mendes Municipal Natural Park (MNP) and Canal das Taxas corridor through camera traps, thus providing the first comprehensive in situ survey of terrestrial mammals for the area. We also verified whether there was mammalian fauna exchange between the Chico Mendes and Marapendi MNPs through the vegetation corridor formed by the Canal das Taxas. Between November 2020 and July 2021, with a sampling effort of 1,334 trap-days, we recorded five native and five exotic species in the studied areas, including one Vulnerable species in the Municipality and State of Rio de Janeiro (Cuniculus paca). We also confirmed that Canal das Taxas works as a wildlife corridor for native species. Finally, we highlight that species checklists based on secondary information for the region are of limited usefulness and recommend in situ surveys even in small, urban protected areas of Rio de Janeiro city.

Keywords
Camera trap; conservation unit; ecological corridor; terrestrial mammals; urban areas

Resumo

As áreas protegidas têm papel fundamental na preservação das espécies, na educação ambiental e na manutenção dos serviços ecossistêmicos. A maior parte da população mundial vive em áreas urbanas, o que evidencia a importância das áreas preservadas nos centros urbanos. No entanto, muitas áreas protegidas urbanas no Brasil carecem de levantamentos de espécies, o que limita a conservação da biodiversidade e a implementação de planos de manejo. Neste estudo, inventariamos as espécies de mamíferos de médio e grande porte do Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes e do corredor do Canal das Taxas por meio de armadilhas fotográficas, fornecendo assim o primeiro levantamento in situ abrangente de mamíferos terrestres para a área. Também verificamos se houve intercâmbio de fauna de mamíferos entre os parques Chico Mendes e Marapendi através do Canal das Taxas. Entre novembro de 2020 e julho de 2021, com um esforço amostral de 1.334 armadilhas-dia, registramos cinco espécies nativas e cinco espécies exóticas nas áreas de estudo, incluindo uma espécie Vulnerável no município e estado do Rio de Janeiro (Cuniculus paca). Confirmamos que o Canal das Taxas funciona como um corredor de fauna para espécies nativas. Por fim, ressaltamos que listas de espécies baseadas em informações secundárias para a região são de utilidade limitada e recomendamos levantamentos in situ, mesmo em pequenas Unidades de Conservação urbanas da cidade do Rio de Janeiro.

Palavras-chave
Armadilha fotográfica; Unidade de Conservação; corredor ecológico; mamíferos terrestres; áreas urbanas

Introduction

Protected areas play a fundamental role in the preservation of species, since they promote the protection of endangered species, the preservation and restoration of biodiversity, environmental education, and ecosystem services maintenance (Henry-Silva 2005HENRY-SILVA, G.G. 2005. A importância das unidades de conservação na preservação da diversidade biológica. Rev. Logos 12(12):127–151., Hummel et al. 2019HUMMEL, C., POURSANIDIS, D., ORENSTEIN, D., ELLIOTT, M., ADAMESCU, M. C., CAZACU, C., ZIV G., CHRYSOULAKIS, N., VAN DER MEER, J. & HUMMEL, H. 2019. Protected Area management: Fusion and confusion with the ecosystem services approach. Sci. Total Environ. 651:2432–2443., Kabisch et al. 2017KABISCH, N., VAN DEN BOSCH, M. & LAFORTEZZA, R. 2017. The health benefits of nature-based solutions to urbanization challenges for children and the elderly-A systematic review. Environ. Res. 159:362373.). However, in Brazil, basic information on the biodiversity of these parks, such as from fauna species surveys, is often lacking, which limits the proper formulation and implementation of management strategies. In fact, many protected areas do not have management plans proposed or implemented in the country (Barros & Leuzinger 2019). For example, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, 83.4% of protected areas – called conservation units – still did not have published management plans in 2019 (CNUC 2023CNUC, 2023. Painel Unidades de Conservação Brasileiras. https://www.gov.br/mma/pt-br/assuntos/areasprotegidasecoturismo/sistema-nacional-de-unidades-de-conservacao-da-natureza-snuc. (last access in 12/jun/2023)
https://www.gov.br/mma/pt-br/assuntos/ar... ), and in the city of Rio de Janeiro, only 27% of conservation units have these plans (De Mattos Bezerra & Lira 2020DE MATTOS BEZERRA, B.L. & LIRA, P.K. 2020. Unidades de Conservação cariocas: histórico e cenário atual. Oecol. Aust. 24(4): 890902.). Moreover, several of these protected areas have species checklists based on secondary information, without adequate in situ surveys.

Currently, 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, and this proportion is expected to increase to 70% by 2050 (United Nations 2019UNITED NATIONS 2019. World Urbanization Prospects: The 2018 Revision (ST/ESA/SER.A/420). United Nations. URL: https://population.un.org/wup/Publications/ (last access in 21/May/2023).
https://population.un.org/wup/Publicatio... ). Protected areas located near or within large urban centers may be more susceptible to certain anthropic impacts (Mcdonald et al. 2008MCDONALD, R.I., KAREIVA, P. & FORMAN, R.T. 2008. The implications of current and future urbanization for global protected areas and biodiversity conservation. Biol. Conserv. 141(6):1695–1703., Filho et al. 2017FILHO, J.M.F., GUIMARÃES, R. & DE CARVALHO, R.G.V.C. 2017. Impactos ambientais em unidades de conservação urbanas: o caso da Área de Relevante Interesse Ecológico da Ilha da Coroa em Mossoró no Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil. RBGF 10(01):304–316.), such as high number of visitors, hunting and fishing, pollution, and introduction of exotic species (SMAC 2016SMAC, 2016. Apoio técnico ao processo de elaboração do Plano de Manejo da Área de Proteção Ambiental de Marapendi, do Parque Natural Municipal de Marapendi e do Parque Natural Municipal da Barra da Tijuca Nelson Mandela Produto 10: Plano de Manejo do PNM de Marapendi. https://ambienteclima.prefeitura.rio/pnm-de-marapendi/ (last access in 20/Sept/2021).
https://ambienteclima.prefeitura.rio/pnm... , Gibaldi 2019GIBALDI, N.S. 2019. Análise dos impactos antrópicos gerados no Parque Natural Municipal de Marapendi e no Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes – município do Rio de Janeiro – RJ. Dissertação de Mestrado, Universidade Veiga de Almeida, Rio de Janeiro., Gibaldi et al. 2020GIBALDI, N.S., BUENO, C. & OLIFIERS, N. 2020. Perfil dos visitantes e seus impactos negativos no Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brasil. Res., Soc. Dev. 9:e5849107904., Pacheco et al. 2020PACHECO B.C., LORETTO D. & OLIFIERS, N. 2020. Profile of visitors and their impacts in the Serra da Tiririca State Park, RJ, Brazil. Res., Soc. Dev. 9: e1189108076.). On the other side, they may offer a good opportunity to implement environmental education projects due to the large number of visitors. The city of Rio de Janeiro has 59 protected areas (CNUC 2023CNUC, 2023. Painel Unidades de Conservação Brasileiras. https://www.gov.br/mma/pt-br/assuntos/areasprotegidasecoturismo/sistema-nacional-de-unidades-de-conservacao-da-natureza-snuc. (last access in 12/jun/2023)
https://www.gov.br/mma/pt-br/assuntos/ar... ). Among them is the Chico Mendes Municipal Natural Park (Chico Mendes MNP), a small protected area inserted in the urbanized landscape of the Recreio dos Bandeirantes district that was created with the goal of preserving, protecting, and restoring the area’s landscape heritage, the coastal sand dune (restinga) ecosystem, and the Lagoinha lagoon, as well as providing green spaces for leisure (FUNBIO et al. 2014FUNBIO, SEA RJ & SMAC. 2014. Volume 1 do Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes – Caracterização da Unidade de Conservação e Entorno. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5613858/4135903/2013021SMACPNMChicoMendes_Vol1FINAL.pdf (last access in 30/Aug/2021).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ). However, this park faces problems such as water pollution by sewage and solid waste, presence of exotic species, loss of the restinga ecosystem, impact on the trails generated by excessive visitors, among others (FUNBIO et al. 2014FUNBIO, SEA RJ & SMAC. 2014. Volume 1 do Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes – Caracterização da Unidade de Conservação e Entorno. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5613858/4135903/2013021SMACPNMChicoMendes_Vol1FINAL.pdf (last access in 30/Aug/2021).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ).

Knowledge about the mammals that inhabit the area of Chico Mendes MNP is incipient (FUNBIO et al. 2014FUNBIO, SEA RJ & SMAC. 2014. Volume 1 do Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes – Caracterização da Unidade de Conservação e Entorno. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5613858/4135903/2013021SMACPNMChicoMendes_Vol1FINAL.pdf (last access in 30/Aug/2021).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ). The management plan of Chico Mendes MNP was published nine years ago and was based on a three-day primary data survey, being mainly complemented by potential species occurrences based the scientific literature (FUNBIO et al. 2014FUNBIO, SEA RJ & SMAC. 2014. Volume 1 do Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes – Caracterização da Unidade de Conservação e Entorno. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5613858/4135903/2013021SMACPNMChicoMendes_Vol1FINAL.pdf (last access in 30/Aug/2021).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ). Therefore, in situ sampling is necessary to adequately characterize the biodiversity of the park, including their mammalian fauna. Furthermore, there may be fauna exchange between the Chico Mendes and Marapendi MNPs through a vegetation corridor that connects both parks, so sampling such corridor (Canal das Taxas) can help define whether it functions as an ecological corridor between the two parks. Ecological corridors are one of the main processes for forest defragmentation, thus being important to preserve biodiversity (Seoane et al. 2010SEOANE C.E., DIAZ V.S., SANTOS T.L., FROUFE L.C. 2010. Ecological corridors as an instrument for the desfragmentation of tropical forests. PFB 30 (63):2072016.). In small protected areas, the connection promoted by ecological corridors with other areas of natural habitat can be essential to the long-term viability of some populations, especially for species of medium to large size.

The survey of the mammal fauna of Chico Mendes MNP and Canal das Taxas corridor is also important to identify the presence of exotic species that may become or are invasive alien species (IAS), i.e., species that have been introduced – accidentally or intentionally – outside their natural range and that pose a risk to biodiversity conservation (Zalba & Ziller 2007ZALBA, S.M. & ZILLER, S.R. 2007. Propostas de ação para prevenção e controle de espécies exóticas invasoras. Nat. Conserv 5:8–15.); IAS can cause several types of impacts on native species and ecosystems, such as predation and herbivory of native fauna and flora; competition with and exclusion of native species; changes in the original habitats; physical environment and ecosystem processes; and hybridization with native species, among other impacts (Sampaio and Schmidt 2013SAMPAIO A.B. & SCHMIDT I.B. 2013 Invasive exotic species in federal conservation units in Brazil. BioBrasil 2:32–49.).

In this context, the objective of this study was to survey the species of medium and large mammals of Chico Mendes MNP and Canal das Taxas corridor and identify the potential fauna exchange between the Chico Mendes and Marapendi MNPs through Canal das Taxas, thus contributing to the update of the management plan of the protected areas.

Material and Methods

1. Study area

Chico Mendes Municipal Natural Park (23°01’23.3”S; 43°28’15.2”W) has 40.65 hectares and was created in 1989 by Municipal Decree 8.452. It has areas of restinga vegetation, shrubs and closed tree formations and flooded forests, serving as habitat for several endemic and endangered species (FUNBIO et al. 2014FUNBIO, SEA RJ & SMAC. 2014. Volume 1 do Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes – Caracterização da Unidade de Conservação e Entorno. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5613858/4135903/2013021SMACPNMChicoMendes_Vol1FINAL.pdf (last access in 30/Aug/2021).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ). A water body (Lagoinha) occupies much of its area (Figure 1) and, in the rainy season, its volume increases via flooding additional land. Chico Mendes MNP faces problems such as pollution of the water body, presence of exotic species, human invasions, and impacts on the trails generated by visitors (FUNBIO et al. 2014FUNBIO, SEA RJ & SMAC. 2014. Volume 1 do Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes – Caracterização da Unidade de Conservação e Entorno. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5613858/4135903/2013021SMACPNMChicoMendes_Vol1FINAL.pdf (last access in 30/Aug/2021).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ).

Figure 1.
Map showing camera traps (yellow marks) in Chico Mendes Municipal Natural Park (Chico Mendes MNP), Canal das Taxas corridor, and Marapendi Municipal Natural Park (Marapendi MNP). The map at the upper, left side of the figure shows the location of the study area in Brazil. The map at the upper, central part of the figure shows the overall location of the study area on a regional scale; green color is vegetated areas, pink is urbanized areas and blue is water bodies.

Chico Mendes MNP is connected to Marapendi MNP (23°٠1’1.58” S; 43°26’34.59” W) by Canal das Taxas, which connects Lagoinha and Marapendi lagoons in Marapendi MNP (Figure 1). The Canal is approximately 1.5 kilometers long and is bordered by vegetation that extends no more than 50 meters from the edges. Canal das Taxas is included in the Green Corridor project, an initiative of the municipal, state and federal governments that involves actions to replant native species, improve basic sanitation, and provide environmental education (SMAC 2015SMAC, 2015. Apoio técnico ao processo de elaboração do Plano de Manejo da Área de Proteção Ambiental de Marapendi, do Parque Natural Municipal de Marapendi e do Parque Natural Municipal da Barra da Tijuca Nelson Mandela Produto 4: Módulo 3 – Análise das UC e Entorno. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5529306/4153242/Modulo3_Final_RevisaoFinal_190116.pdf (last access in 19/Sep/2022).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ). However, the importance of Canal das Taxas as an ecological corridor has not been properly evaluated yet in relation to the mammal fauna.

The Chico Mendes MNP, Canal das Taxas, and the Marapendi MNP, along with the Barra da Tijuca MNP, Nelson Mandela MNP and Marapendi Environmental Protection Area form a complex of 359 hectares of protected areas inserted in the urban area. Marapendi MNP (23°01’01.8 “S 43°26’58.6 “W) covers 152 hectares, with predominantly restinga forest and mangrove vegetation bordering Marapendi Lagoon (SMAC 2016SMAC, 2016. Apoio técnico ao processo de elaboração do Plano de Manejo da Área de Proteção Ambiental de Marapendi, do Parque Natural Municipal de Marapendi e do Parque Natural Municipal da Barra da Tijuca Nelson Mandela Produto 10: Plano de Manejo do PNM de Marapendi. https://ambienteclima.prefeitura.rio/pnm-de-marapendi/ (last access in 20/Sept/2021).
https://ambienteclima.prefeitura.rio/pnm... ). It is negatively impacted by solid waste, the presence of exotic species, and human occupation. Marapendi Lagoon is also impacted by raw sewage discharge and by unregulated fishing and water transport (Gibaldi 2019GIBALDI, N.S. 2019. Análise dos impactos antrópicos gerados no Parque Natural Municipal de Marapendi e no Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes – município do Rio de Janeiro – RJ. Dissertação de Mestrado, Universidade Veiga de Almeida, Rio de Janeiro.). The Marapendi MNP headquartes is nearby Canal das Taxas and this area is also fenced, like the Chico Mendes MNP. However, other areas of the park are relatively less protected and apparently are more impacted by anthropic activities (Gibaldi 2019GIBALDI, N.S. 2019. Análise dos impactos antrópicos gerados no Parque Natural Municipal de Marapendi e no Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes – município do Rio de Janeiro – RJ. Dissertação de Mestrado, Universidade Veiga de Almeida, Rio de Janeiro.).

2. Data collection

Between November 2020 and July 2021, nine Scoutguard ® SG560C White LED camera traps were arranged to cover most of Chico Mendes MNP, as well as the Canal das Taxas and the border of Marapendi MNP (Figure 1). The minimum spacing between traps was approximately 150 meters. Two of the traps were set along Canal das Taxas and one trap was set at the border of Marapendi MNP and next to Canal das Taxas, to verify the potential interchange of mammals between Chico Mendes and Marapendi MNPs (Figure 1).

The cameras were inspected every month to change batteries and memory cards. The traps were baited with a small quantity of banana, bacon, and peanut meal on the first day of trapping only. Baits were renewed whenever the traps’ batteries were checked (roughly once a month). The procedures were carried out according to authorization from the Municipal Environmental Secretariat, permit number 10/2020, process number 14/000.632/2020.

Data analysis

To verify the sampling sufficiency of the survey for Canal das Taxas and Chico Mendes MNP, the species accumulation curve for medium to large-sized mammals was calculated using the first-order jackknife richness estimator and its standard deviation (“Jack 1 Mean” and “Jack 1 SD”) and 1000 randomizations, using the EstimateS program version 9.1 (Colwell 2016COLWELL, R.K. 2016. EstimateS. Version 9.1. https://www.robertkcolwell.org/pages/1407-estimates. (last access in 21/Oct/2021).
https://www.robertkcolwell.org/pages/140... ). The curve was generated based on the frequency of species’ photographic records, considering each field excursion (month) as a sampling unit. Records of medium to large-sized exotic species (Felis catus, the domestic cat; see Table 1) and the black-eared opossum (Didelphis aurita) were included.

The relative frequency of species occurrence was based on independent photographic records of species: consecutive pictures of the same species within a one-hour interval were disregarded to minimize pseudo-replication in the analyses (Hurlbert 1984HURLBERT, S.H. 1984. Pseudoreplication and the design of ecological field experiments. Ecol. Monogr. 54(2):187–211.). Because distance between cameras was small and individuals might have been photographed in more than a camera within one hour, we considered photographic records as if they had been obtained by a single camera, thereby not discriminating between cameras in distinct places. For the relative frequency of occurrence, records of non-volant, smaller species (rodents, marsupials and primates) were also considered, although the methodology employed was not the most appropriate for small mammals or arboreal species. Finally, the camera-trap on Marapendi MNPs was not considered in these analyses, since data of this camera-trap was used only to verify potential interchange between parks through the Canal das Taxas.

Results and Discussion

With a total sampling effort of 1,334 trap-days, ten species of mammals were recorded in Chico Mendes MNP, Canal das Taxas and/or Marapendi MNP, distributed in nine families and five orders (Table 1). The species accumulation curve for Chico Mendes MNP and Canal das Taxas stabilized on the seventh fieldwork (Figure 2), showing that sampling effort was adequate for terrestrial medium to large-sized mammals.

Figure 2.
Species accumulation curve of terrestrial medium to large-sized mammals of Chico Mendes Municipal Natural Park and Canal das Taxas corridor, with data from camera traps set between 2020 and 2021. The richness estimator used was the first-order Jackknife. The “Observed” curve corresponds to the accumulated number of species observed in the study area. The bars correspond to the standard deviation.

Five exotic species were recorded: Callithrix jacchus, Rattus rattus, Felis catus, R. norvergicus, and Canis lupus familiaris. The first three occurred in all the areas sampled, whereas R. norvergicus was recorded in Canal das Taxas only and C. familiaris in the Marapendi MNP camera trap, next to the Canal das Taxas (Table 1; Figure 1). In addition, human presence was also detected at one point in Chico Mendes MNP where access by people was temporarily prohibited. Except for Cuniculus paca, all species recorded were mentioned in the Chico Mendes MNP management plan as species with “probable occurrence” in the area, since that previous survey was largely based on potential records instead of in situ observations (FUNBIO et al. 2014FUNBIO, SEA RJ & SMAC. 2014. Volume 1 do Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes – Caracterização da Unidade de Conservação e Entorno. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5613858/4135903/2013021SMACPNMChicoMendes_Vol1FINAL.pdf (last access in 30/Aug/2021).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ). Cuniculus paca is classified as Vulnerable both in the state of Rio de Janeiro and city of Rio de Janeiro (Tanizaki-Fonseca et al. 2000TANIZAKI-FONSECA, K., MOULTON, T.P., BERGALLO, H.G., ROCHA, C.D., ALVES, M.A.S., & SLUYS, M.V. A fauna ameaçada de extinção do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. EdUERJ, 2000., SMAC 2022SMAC, 2022. Resolução SMAC nº 073 de 19 de agosto de 2022. https://oeco.org.br/ wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Lista-fauna-ameacada_Rio-de-Janeiro-2022.pdf (last access in 01/Sep/2022.
https://oeco.org.br/ wp-content/uploads/... ), although all the species are of Least Concern according to the IUCN RedList (IUCN, 2022IUCN (2022) The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. https://www.iucnredlist.org/ (last access in 16/Aug/2023).
https://www.iucnredlist.org/... ).

Three native species of medium-sized mammals that were listed in the management plan as “likely to occur” were not recorded in the present study: the spiny tree porcupine (Coendou spinosus), brown-throated sloth (Bradypus variegatus), and agouti (Dasyprocta leporina) (FUNBIO et al. 2014FUNBIO, SEA RJ & SMAC. 2014. Volume 1 do Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes – Caracterização da Unidade de Conservação e Entorno. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5613858/4135903/2013021SMACPNMChicoMendes_Vol1FINAL.pdf (last access in 30/Aug/2021).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ). The two first species are arboreal and commonly found in parks within the urban area of Rio de Janeiro and were seen at Chico Mendes by park employees in the last ten years (Fernanda G.M.P Lima, Pers. Comm). They may occur in the park even though we did not record them in the camera traps because the method used was not adequate to sample arboreal species. The agouti has also been seen by park employees (Fernanda G.M.P Lima, Pers. Comm) although we did not record this species in camera traps, even having applied a large sampling effort. Since rescued agoutis have been translocated and released in the Marapendi MNP (Fernanda G.M.P Lima, Pers. Comm), such visual record by employees might be of one of the translocated individuals that reached MNP Chico Mendes through the Canal das Taxas. Under this scenario, an established population of agoutis might not occur in the area. In addition, according to park employees, a crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) has also been seen in the park in 2021. This is certainly the single (male) individual that was released in Marapendi MNP (Fernanda G.M.P Lima, Pers. Comm) and is using Chico Mendes MNP area as well.

The species with the highest frequency of occurrence were D. aurita and H. hydrochaeris, which occurred in both Chico Mendes and Marapendi MNPs, as well as in Canal das Taxas (Figure 3). Didelphis aurita is a synanthropic species that can reach high population densities even in urban areas (Gentile et al. 2018GENTILE, R., CARDOSO, T.S., COSTA-NETO, S.F., TEIXEIRA, B.R., & D’ANDREA, P.S. 2018. Community structure and population dynamics of small mammals in an urban-sylvatic interface area in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Zoologia 35.), whereas capybaras adapt well to secondary or disturbed forests, reproduce throughout the year, with litters that can reach up to eight pups (De Oliveira & Bonvicino 2006DE OLIVEIRA, J.A. & BONVICINO, C.R. 2006. Ordem Rodentia. In Mamíferos do Brasil (Reis NR, Peracchi AL, Pedro WA & IP De Lima eds), Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, p. 347–406.), besides being closely associated with the water bodies in both parks and triggering the camera traps more easily. The capybara and black-eared opossum are considered generalist species that are tolerant to disturbances and favored by forest fragmentation (Fonseca & Robinson 1990FONSECA, G.A. & ROBINSON, J.G. 1990. Forest size and structure: competitive and predatory effects on small mammal communities. Biol. Cons. 53(4):265–294., Olifiers et al. 2005OLIFIERS, N., GENTILE, R. & FISZON, J.T. 2005. Relation between small-mammal species composition and anthropic variables in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Braz. J. Biol.65:495–501.).

Figure 3.
Number of records and relative frequency of occurrence of mammal species in Chico Mendes Natural Municipal Park and Canal das Taxas corridor using camera traps between 2020 and 2021. Records of non-volant, smaller species (rodents, marsupials and primates) were also shown. Data obtained in the single camera trap placed within the Marapendi Natural Municipal Park was not included.

The three species of rarest occurrence were exotic species: the house cat (Felis catus), the white-tufted marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) and the Norway rat (Rattus norvergicus). The presence of domestic cats, stray or feral, inside a protected area can cause several negative impacts on native fauna, such as competition with other species, disease transmission, and predation (Loss & Marra 2017LOSS, S.R. & MARRA, P.P. 2017. Population impacts of free‐ranging domestic cats on mainland vertebrates. Front. Ecol. Environ. 15(9):502–509.). Animals preyed upon by cats include birds, invertebrates, small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles (Baker et al. 2005BAKER, P.J., BENTLEY, A.J., ANSELL, R.J., & HARRIS, S. 2005. Impact of predation by domestic cats Felis catus in an urban area. Mamm. Rev. 35:302–312., Mella-Méndez et al. 2022MELLA-MÉNDEZ, I., FLORES-PEREDO, R., AMAYA-ESPINEL, J.D., BOLÍVAR-CIMÉ, B., MAC SWINEY G.M.C., & MARTÍNEZ, A. J. 2022. Predation of wildlife by domestic cats in a Neotropical city: a multi-factor issue. Biol. Invasions 24(5):1539–1551.). The presence of exotic marmosets poses a risk mainly to the region’s avifauna, due to the predation of bird eggs and chicks by marmosets and potential competition for resources with other species (Lyra-Neves et al. 2007LYRA-NEVES, R.M.D., OLIVEIRA, M.A., TELINO-JÚNIOR, W.R. & SANTOS, E.M.D. 2007. Interspecific behaviour between Callithrix jacchus (Linnaeus) (Callitrichidae, Primates) and some birds of the Atlantic forest, Pernambuco State, Brazil. Rev. Bras. Zool. 24:709–716.). Callithrix jacchus and C. penicillata adapt easily and exhibit great ability to occupy new habitats; they are generalists, possess behavioral flexibility and high reproductive rate (Reis et al. 2008REIS, N.R.; PERACCHI, A.L.; ANDRADE, F.R. 2008. Primatas Brasileiros, Technical Books, Rio de Janeiro.), which make them potential invaders (Traad & Weckerlin 2012TRAAD, R.M. & WECKERLIN, P. 2012. Introdução das espécies exóticas Callithrix penicillata (Geoffroy, 1812) e Callithrix jacchus (Linnaeus, 1758) em ambientes urbanos (Primates: Callithrichidae). Rev. Meio Ambient. Sustentabilidade, 2(1):9–23.). Callithrix penicillata (black-tufted marmoset) was also recorded as probably occurring in Chico Mendes MNP, according to the management plan (FUNBIO et al. 2014FUNBIO, SEA RJ & SMAC. 2014. Volume 1 do Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes – Caracterização da Unidade de Conservação e Entorno. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5613858/4135903/2013021SMACPNMChicoMendes_Vol1FINAL.pdf (last access in 30/Aug/2021).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ), although we could not detect it in this study. This species, as well as hybrid forms, are likely to occur in the area. The presence of Rattus species also deserves attention, since they are reservoirs of important diseases such as leptospirosis and are potential vectors of bubonic plague (Carter & Cordes 1980CARTER, M.E., & CORDES, D.O. 1980. Leptospirosis and other infections of Rattus rattus and Rattus norvegicus. NZVJ 28(3):45–50.).

The management plan of Chico Mendes MNP indicates two native species that transit between Chico Mendes and Marapendi MNPs through Canal das Taxas: capybaras and brown-throated sloths (B. variegatus) (FUNBIO et al. 2014FUNBIO, SEA RJ & SMAC. 2014. Volume 1 do Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes – Caracterização da Unidade de Conservação e Entorno. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5613858/4135903/2013021SMACPNMChicoMendes_Vol1FINAL.pdf (last access in 30/Aug/2021).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ). With the exception of the crab-eating raccoon (P. cancrivorus) and the domestic dog (C. l. familiaris), which were recorded only in Marapendi MNP border, all other species occurred in both parks and/or in Canal das Taxas, indicating potential exchange of these species between the parks. Indeed, when we analyzed the pelage pattern of pacas recorded in the camera traps, we found the presence of the same individual in Chico Mendes MNP, Canal das Taxas and Marapendi MNP, confirming the interchange of individuals of native mammal fauna between the parks (Figure 4). However, the presence of white-tufted marmosets, cats, and rats in Canal das Taxas is also an indication that these exotic species are using the corridor, although they also occur around the parks in unforested areas. Although the presence of the ecological corridor is important for the transit of native species between the parks, it may also facilitate the movement of exotic species. Therefore, the management of this corridor and of Chico Mendes MNP should take exotic species into account.

Figure 4.
Photographic records of the same individual of Cuniculus paca in Chico Mendes Municipal Natural Park (Chico Mendes MNP), Canal das Taxas corridor, and Marapendi Municipal Natural Park (Marapendi MNP).

Although domestic dogs were not recorded in Chico Mendes MNP in this study, they were identified in the park during the survey for the management plan (FUNBIO et al. 2014FUNBIO, SEA RJ & SMAC. 2014. Volume 1 do Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes – Caracterização da Unidade de Conservação e Entorno. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5613858/4135903/2013021SMACPNMChicoMendes_Vol1FINAL.pdf (last access in 30/Aug/2021).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ). The fencing of Chico Mendes MNP is relatively intact, which may explain the absence of domestic dog records in the current study. Several researches have reported that small and medium-sized mammals are most preyed upon by domestic dogs, especially the opossum D. aurita (Galetti & Sazima 2006GALETTI, M. & SAZIMA, I. 2006. Impact of feral dogs in an urban Atlantic Forest fragment in southeastern Brazil. Nat. Conserv. 4(1):146–151., Campos et al. 2007CAMPOS, C.B.D., ESTEVES, C.F., FERRAZ, K.M.P.M.B., CRAWSHAW JR, P.G. & VERDADE, L.M. 2007. Diet of free‐ranging cats and dogs in a suburban and rural environment, south‐eastern Brazil. J. Zool. 273(1):14–20., Rangel & Neiva 2013RANGEL C.H. & NEIVA C.H.M.B. 2013. Vertebrate predation by dogs Canis lupus familiaris (Mammalia: Carnivora) in the Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. BioBrasil 2:261269., Lessa et al. 2016LESSA, I., GUIMARÃES, T. C. S., DE GODOY BERGALLO, H., CUNHA, A., & VIEIRA, E. M. 2016. Domestic dogs in protected areas: a threat to Brazilian mammals? Nat. Conserv. 14(2): 46–56.). Both domestic dogs and cats tend to hunt either by instinct and/or by lack of care – such as proper feeding – negatively influencing the behavior, feeding, and reproductive success of native fauna (Young et al. 2011YOUNG, J.K., OLSON, K.A., READING, R.P., AMGALANBAATAR, S. & BERGER, J. 2011. Is wildlife going to the dogs? Impacts of feral and free-roaming dogs on wildlife populations. BioScience, 61(2):125–132., Silva‐Rodríguez & Sieving 2011SILVA‐RODRÍGUEZ, E.A., & SIEVING, K.E. 2011. Influence of care of domestic carnivores on their predation on vertebrates. Conservation Biology 25(4):808–815.). Fencing maintenance in Chico Mendes MNP is therefore an important management action which were highlighted in the management plan (FUNBIO et al. 2014FUNBIO, SEA RJ & SMAC. 2014. Volume 1 do Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes – Caracterização da Unidade de Conservação e Entorno. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5613858/4135903/2013021SMACPNMChicoMendes_Vol1FINAL.pdf (last access in 30/Aug/2021).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ).

Finally, several municipal parks in Rio de Janeiro do not have in situ surveys. This study showed that a checklist based on secondary sources for the region (that is, potential occurrence of species) is misleading, at least for mammals, because it has missed important species while listed others that do not seem to occur in the park (except perhaps for occasional translocated individuals). Municipal parks that have management plans but no in situ mammals surveys include: Catacumba MNP (26.5 ha), which has two native species of medium to large-sized non-volant mammals that are likely to occur (SMAC 2008SMAC, 2008. Plano de Manejo Parque Natural Municipal da Catacumba. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5211905/4136007/Parte3_diagnostico_catacumba_meiobiotico_fauna.pdf (last access in 01/Nov/2021).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ); Serra do Mendanha MNP (1,444.86 ha), with 21 species of probable occurrence (FUNBIO & SEA RJ 2012aFUNBIO & SEA RJ. 2012a. Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal da Serra do Mendanha - Caracterização da Unidade de Conservação. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5214698/4136051/2011_06PMCaracteriza_3.pdf (last access in 01/Nov/2021)
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ); Grumari MNP (804.73 ha) and Prainha MNP (146.93 ha), which potentially have 17 species each (FUNBIO & SEA RJ 2012bFUNBIO & SEA RJ. 2012b. Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal da Prainha e Parque Natural Municipal de Grumari - Caracterização da Unidade de Conservação. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5215012/4136119/2011_04PMCaracteriza_4Final.pdf (last access in 01/Nov/2021
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ); Bosque da Barra MNP (53.65 ha), with 10 species (SMAC 2014SMAC, 2014. Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal Bosque da Barra: Volume 1 - Caracterização da Unidade de Conservação e Entorno. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5212719/4135504/2013022_SMACPNMBosquedaBarra_Vol1FINAL.pdf (last access in 01/Nov/2021).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ); and Paisagem Carioca MNP (159.82 ha), which has five species of probable occurrence (SMAC 2013SMAC, 2013. Plano de Manejo do Parque Natural Municipal Paisagem Carioca - Caracterização da UC. http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5209807/4136017/PNMPaisagemCariocaCaracterizacao4.pdf (last access in 01/Nov/2021).
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/... ); for all these parks, D. aurita was included in the species richness counting. We believe that in situ surveys should always be performed for the management plan of protected areas, preferable employing an array of available techniques for sampling terrestrial as well as arboreous species.

Conclusion

Chico Mendes MNP and Canal das Taxas have a mammalian fauna that is probable a subset of the species in Marapendi MNP, including with respect to exotic species. Although small, Chico Mendes MNP is mostly fenced, with public access controlled. Thus, although it does not have a very distinct mammalian fauna, Chico Mendes MNP may be helping to compose an additional and relatively more protected area – like a refuge – for native species that use the region’s park complex. The finding that Canal das Taxas, in the stretch between Chico Mendes and Marapendi MNPs, might be effectively contributing to the exchange of native mammals species corroborates its importance for the long-term maintenance of these populations and underscores the need to effectively implement the Recreio Green Corridor Plan in the region. Finally, we believe that adequate, in situ surveys are a requirement for the management plan of protected areas.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to staff members of Chico Mendes and Marapendi Parks, especially Fernanda Glicia Magnago de Paula Lima. We also thank Fernando Motta Ferreira, Florestan Rocha dos Santos Neto, and Rafael Cordeiro da Costa Fernandes Ferreira for accompanying us during fieldwork. Finally, we are thankful to Claudio Lacet for preparing Figure 1 of this manuscript.

Data Availability

Supporting data are available at https://doi.org/10.48331/scielodata.OMHLOH.

References

Edited by

Publication Dates

History