Research on Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wild Ungulates in Mexico

Abstract

This special issue of Tropical Conservation Science provides a synopsis of nine of the eleven presentations on ungulates presented at the Symposium on Ecology and Conservation of Ungulates in Mexico during the Mexican Congress of Ecology held in November 2008 in Merida, Yucatan. Of the eleven species of wild ungulates in Mexico (Baird's tapir Tapirus bairdii, pronghorn antelope Antilocapra americana, American bison Bison bison, bighorn sheep Ovis canadensis, elk Cervus canadensis, red brocket deer Mazama temama, Yucatan brown brocket Mazama pandora, mule deer Odocoileus hemionus, white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus, white-lipped peccary Tayassu pecari and collared peccary Pecari tajacu), studies which concern four of these species are presented: Baird's tapir and the white lipped peccary, which are tropical species in danger of extinction; the bighorn sheep, of high value for hunting in the north-west; and the white-tailed deer, the most studied ungulate in Mexico due to its wide distribution in the country and high hunting and cultural value. In addition, two studies of exotic species, wild boar ( Sus scrofa) and red deer ( Cervus elaphus), are presented. Issues addressed in these studies are: population estimates, habitat use, evaluation of UMA (Spanish acronym for ‘Wildlife Conservation, Management and Sustainable Utilization Units’) and ANP (Spanish acronym for ‘Natural Protected Areas’) to sustain minimum viable populations, and the effect of alien species in protected areas and UMA, all of which allow an insight into ungulate conservation and management within the country.