As a team we must ensure that our actions and decisions are evidence-based. In the highlands community of Herradura de Rivas, 9 species of both wild and domestic “carnivores” were identified from the catalogued files obtained from camera traps placed in chicken coops/traps by the Oncilla Conservation team. Although several wild species were identified as having a high potential to generate conflict with local producers (e.g. tayra, ocelot, raccoons, opossums, small wild cats), the only animals captured directly causing problems (preying on eggs) have been domestic dogs. A strategy to address the issue of responsible ownership of pets such as dogs and cats is now being proposed to address several real and potential threats such as disease transmission (zoonosis), competition for prey, direct attacks and conflict with local producers.
Traveling across the mountain to the northern Caribbean Sea, after 2 years of bioacoustic monitoring in the Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge, we confirmed the presence of a population of 18 manatees in this sector after analyzing more than 600 vocalizations detected by our hydrophones. We also know their movement routes and most used sites, which leads the Seacow Conservation team to establish strategies to prevent current and future threats such as the capture of individuals with trammel nets, collisions with motor boats and erosion sites of the riverbanks. In the coming months, preventative signs will be posted and degraded areas will be delineated for future restoration projects.
