Puma’s (Puma concolor) last refugees in Brazil: priority areas for conservation from the perspective of geographical modelling

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51359/2238-6211.2021.246100

Keywords:

Puma concolor, geographic distribution, Cougar, modelling, priority areas

Abstract

The modeling of geographic distribution of species is an important biogeography tool that meets conservation actions or allows theoretical approaches on the distribution of species. In this study, we modeled the geographic distribution of the puma (Puma concolor) in Brazil through four algorithms (Environmental Distance, GARP, Maximum Entropy, BioClim). The occurrence data from puma were obtained from the speciesLink platform and through a literature review. Bioclimatic variables available on the home page of WorldClim (www.worldclim.com) were selected. Overall, 280 puma records were obtained in Brazil. The models indicate that the Caatinga, Pantanal, Atlantic Forest (north of San Francisco river) and Pampa biomes represent less environmental suitability. In contrast, the Atlantic portion located in the southeast under the influence of the Serra do Mar and neighboring Cerrado, is one of the areas most likely to harbor populations of Puma concolor. Cerrado and Amazon also had medium and high environmental suitability. This information indicates the need for establishing new protected areas where the probability was lower than expected. In addition, measures to minimize the impacts of hunting and increase landscape connectivity should be strengthened to ensure the persistence of these populations in the medium and long terms.      

Author Biographies

Felipe Francisco Gomes-Silva, Instituto de Tecnologia de Pernambuco

Analista ambiental do Instituto de Tecnologia de Pernambuco, Diretoria Executivo-Comercial, Escritório de Projetos.

Edson Silva Barbosa Leal, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Centro de Biociências, Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório de Ciência Aplicada à Conservação da Biodiversidade

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Centro de Biociências, Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório de Ciência Aplicada à Conservação da Biodiversidade

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Published

2021-04-27

How to Cite

Gomes-Silva, F. F., & Leal, E. S. B. (2021). Puma’s (Puma concolor) last refugees in Brazil: priority areas for conservation from the perspective of geographical modelling. Revista De Geografia, 38(1), 127–140. https://doi.org/10.51359/2238-6211.2021.246100