Recording of relict ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) and South American coati (Nasua nasua) populations in the biodiversity hotspot Pernambuco Endemism Center, Northern Atlantic Forest, Brazil

Abstract

Abstract The northern portion of the Atlantic Forest, namely Pernambuco Endemism Center (PEC), faces an extreme level of forest loss, with only 2% of its original forest remaining. In the PEC, mesocarnivores are the only remaining carnivores and, among them, the ocelot and South American coati present a poorly known or even ignored distribution. Our goal is to provide an overview of the current distribution and conservation status of both species in the PEC through camera trap survey, review of published scientific literature and a search for voucher specimens in mammal collections. Our data confirm the presence of the ocelot and the South America coati in the PEC. The ocelots were mainly recorded in fragments smaller than 12 km2, suggesting they might access the monoculture matrix and anthropogenic areas. The few recent records of coatis suggest a worse scenario, predicting an imminent local extinction. The PEC has witnessed a historical continued deforestation, which has reduced the remaining fragments and contributed to the accentuated decline of both species populations. Nevertheless, these Atlantic Forest remnants are paramount to supporting relict populations of mesocarnivores in the PEC, and their maintenance and connectivity should be a conservation priority.