Large Mammals and the Community Dynamics of an Amazonian Rain Forest; My PhD Thesis

White-lipped peccary crossing Santa Rosa Trail
White-lipped peccary traveling across the forest of Maraca Ecological Reserve, Amazon, Brazil (Photo copyright: Jose MV Fragoso)

For those interested in tropical forests and animals, I am posting my 1994 PhD thesis. This makes available novel views of tropical forest structure and the ecology of large animals that remain unpublished.  Enjoy learning details of the lives of mammals and plants and their evolutionary relationships in the Amazon forest. The dissertation/thesis can be downloaded here: Fragoso JMV 1994 Large Mammals and the Community Dynamics of an Amazonian Forest. PhD, University of Florida, USA.


 

The Amazon rainforest may be home to more animals than previously thought, Stanford scientists show

News report from Stanford University on our research: “By tapping the expertise of indigenous hunters, researchers found that conventional surveying techniques underestimate animal populations and miss species in the remote Amazon. Producing an accurate count is important for planning conservation efforts.” Continue reading “The Amazon rainforest may be home to more animals than previously thought, Stanford scientists show”

Community livelihoods depend upon accurate wildlife estimates

White-lipped Peccary, Amazon Brazil  114.jpg
White-lipped peccary in the Amazon (copyright and photo Jose MV Fragoso)

News article from Virginia Tech University on our research: “Evidence of wildlife passage, such as tracks, scat, fur, and disturbed surroundings, is a more accurate tool for assessing wildlife conservation status than actual encounters with animals, according to an international team of scientists from six universities, publishing in the April 13, 2016, issue of PLOS ONE.” Continue reading “Community livelihoods depend upon accurate wildlife estimates”

Levantamentos com Observações diretas Subestimam a Abundância de Mamíferos Terrestres: Implicações para uma Caça de Subsistência Sustentável

In corral behind house
Catitu (foto: Jose MV Fragoso)

A conservação de espécies cinegéticas neotropicais deve levar em conta os meios de vida e necessidades alimentares das populações humanas locais.

Artigo:  http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0152659

Resumo: Continue reading “Levantamentos com Observações diretas Subestimam a Abundância de Mamíferos Terrestres: Implicações para uma Caça de Subsistência Sustentável”

New Publication: Line Transect Surveys Underdetect Terrestrial Mammals: Implications for the Sustainability of Subsistence Hunting

In corral behind house

Collared peccary (copyright photo Jose MV Fragoso)

Our new paper in the journal PLOS ONE reports that we are grossly under-detecting hunted animal species.  The results challenge the many studies showing serious negative impacts of subsistence hunting on wildlife species.  Seems like the animals may be hiding from us.  This research indicates that we need to reassess how we measure hunting impacts in the tropics.

Read the article:  http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0152659


More than 170 white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) filmed crossing a 2 km wide river in Roraima, Brazil

WLP photo
White-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) in Roraima, Brazil (photo by Jose Fragoso).

More than 170 white-lipped peccaries were filmed crossing the Rio Branco River in Caracaraí County, Roraima, Brazil in the Amazon. The peccaries were filmed for over 30 minutes when  in the middle of the almost 2 km wide Rio Branco by agents of Brazil’s wildlife agency Ibama. Recording made on November 7, 2015.

View the video here: http://g1.globo.com/rr/roraima/noticia/2015/11/manada-de-mais-de-170-porcos-do-mato-atravessa-rio-de-rr-video.html  

Fragoso 2004 article:  Fragoso 2004 White-lip dissapearances

Fragoso 1997 article:  Fragoso 1997