Estimación del tamaño poblacional del Oso Andino (tremarctos ornatus) en las estribaciones occidentales de la Reserva de Biosfera Macizo del Cajas

Abstract

This is the first study carried out on the andean bear within the Macizo del Cajas Biosphere Reserve. Twenty camera traps were installed and distributed in the forests: Las Américas, Palmas, and Rocafuerte. Were obtained 43 capture events with a total of 499 visual files. 363 photographs and 136 videos were counted, of which 30 photos (8.26%) and 37 videos (27.20%) were the files used for identification. The identification was made through the analysis of the morphological characteristics of the pattern of facial and pectoral marks. The CAPTURE program estimated a population of 7 individuals with a standard error of 3.06. The analysis of the possible physical habitat showed that there are about 1006.81 Km2 of Montane Forest, Evergreen Forest, and Matorral, which represent 67.40% of the study area. Given the low number of catches at the Palmas and Rocafuerte stations, information on the individual movements of bears and their activity patterns are limited, so continuing and increasing monitoring by establishing more stations within the proposed area is necessary for a better data collection that complements this information and thus be able to design conservation measures for this species.