Distribution and Diversity of Mammals

Posted On October 29, 2015 by panamawildlife

Panama wildlife conservation has joined efforts with the Institute for Wild life studies (IWS) in California to conduct a project to understand the distribution and diversity of terrestrial mammals in Coiba National Park. Our study is specifically focusing on the Coiban agouti (Dasyprocta coibae) because this species is important to sustaining the forest of Coiba. In future years, we plan to use these data to study agoutis in more detail to understand their behaviors and specific roles in the ecosystem, and how climate change may impact those roles.

What is this project accomplishing?

  1. Using remote motion-detecting cameras to determine the distribution and diversity of terrestrial mammals in Coiba National Park
  2. Understanding what landscape characteristics, such as topography and vegetation type, influence where terrestrial mammals occur in Coiba National Park
  3. Increasing the knowledge the Panama Ministry of Environment has for conserving biodiversity in Coiba National Park
  4. Enhancing ecological knowledge of terrestrial mammals in Panama, especially species only found in Coiba
  5. Employing and educating local Panamanian citizens to assist with research
  6. Building partnerships among the Panama Ministry of Environment and several non-profit organizations
    Partners – Contacts

Institute for Wildlife Studies (www.iws.org) – Jared Duquette (Research Ecologist)

Panama Wildlife Conservation (http://old.dev.dev.dev.panamawildlife.org/) – Luis Ureña (President)

Yaguará-Panama (https://www.facebook.com/yaguarapty/timeline) – Ricardo Moreno (Research Biologist)

Video (overview of Coiba National Park; a project video is in progress)