Andean Bear (Tremarctos ornatus), Biodiversity, and Puma (Puma concolor) Conservation on Private Lands in the Ecuadorian Andes: Implications for Conservation in a Human-Dominated Landscape =Conservación del oso andino (Tremarctos ornatus), biodiversidad, y el puma (Puma concolor) en tierras privadas en los Andes ecuatorianos: implicaciones para la conservación en un paisaje dominado por los humanos

摘要

Protected areas have long been seen as the primary method for conservation of wildlife. Throughout the tropics, lack of enforcement or inappropriate coverage of the protected area system have demonstrated that they alone might not be sufficient to conserve healthy populations of wildlife, particularly those with large ranges or species that are seen as a threat to human livelihood. Private lands near protected areas could help to protect wildlife when levels of human-wildlife conflict are low and suitable habitat is available. In three chapters, we explore the potential for Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus ), biodiversity, and puma (Puma concolor) conservation on private lands in the Ecuadorian Andes. In Chapter 1, "The role of private lands in Andean bear conservation in the southern sector of Sangay National Park, Ecuador," we looked at factors associated with Andean bear presence to determine if bears on private lands could complement populations in protected areas, or if proximity to humans was a deterrent and private lands along park borders further isolated bear populations. We found that bears were only somewhat disturbed by human activities but habitat and access to annual changes in resources might be more important when planning for bear conservation on private lands. In Chapter 2, "Assessing the utility of Andean bears as conservation surrogates for Andean mammals on private lands in Ecuador," we used empirical data to evaluate how effective Andean bears are as conservation surrogates for other species. Our results suggest that for Andean bears to be a strong proxy for the conservation of Andean mammals, conservation strategies that include private lands must also conserve forested habitat. In Chapter 3, "How camera trap data can help us understand puma-livestock conflict in the Ecuadorian Andes," we used camera trap data to better understand depredation events on alpacas. We discuss non-lethal methods to mitigate conflict in this area and next steps for future research on pumas.