Terrestrial and semi-aquatic macro and meso-mammal presence on the coast of Añihué Reserve, Chilean Patagonia

Abstract

 The mammal community of Chilean Patagonia scarcely has been studied despite
facing diverse threats. We present an updated macro and meso-mammal inventory from Añihué
Reserve using camera traps (1,540 days) from February 2012 to February 2014, supplemented up to
2015 by direct opportunistic photography. We determined productivity indexes relative to daily effort
to estimate and compare the time-spatial distribution of the abundance and diversity between two
discrete geographic zones. The productivity was 0,088 occurrences/day per camera. Nine species were
documented, corresponding to 80% of the diversity described for the area; Neovison vison was added.
The most frequently recorded and widely distributed species were Pudu puda and Leopardus guigna
(both 0.034/day). Richness was highest in spring (>4 spp) and lowest in autumn (<3 spp). Differences
in productivity between North and South zones were not significant (U= 702; p= 0.498). The highest
occurrence was between 18:00 and 05:59 hours (78.29 %; n= 101). At least in this area, macro and
meso-mammal sighting probability would not be affected by weather state (rs= 0.065; p= 0.646). Under
similar conditions, to maximize "capture" probability, we recommend at least three week effort periods
(96.05 % of occurrences after 16 days). Añihué Reserve presents suitable conditions to develop long
term studies on these taxa.