ABSTRACT
Resumen Desde 2006 a 2012, la anidación de la tortuga lora (Lepidochelys olivacea) fue monitoreada en bahía Drake, un enclave reconocido internacionalmente por su excelente oferta eco-turística que se localiza en la región noroeste de la península de Osa. Sorprendentemente, esta área dispone de playas de anidación solitaria de tortuga lora que han permanecido casi desadvertidas hasta fechas recientes. Durante este periodo de monitoreo, 958 nidos fueron registrados en playa Drake (promedio anual: 136.9; densidad: 3.80 nidos/100m de playa), de los cuales 363 (37.9%) fueron reubicados a un vivero. Antes de 2006, la pérdida anual de nidos fue superior al 85% debido al saqueo en playa; desde 2006, el porcentaje del saqueo de nidos se mantuvo en un promedio del 10.1%. Además, un total de 335 hembras fueron identificadas con placas metálicas; el promedio de la longitud curva del caparazón fue de 66.1cm; el promedio del ancho curvo del caparazón fue de 70.2cm, y el tamaño promedio por nidada fue de 96.3 huevos. El promedio del éxito de eclosión para los nidos reubicados en vivero fue de 79.2%, y más de 61 000 neonatos fueron liberados al mar durante este periodo. Este proyecto es un ejemplo de una iniciativa exitosa de conservación, eco-turismo y desarrollo comunitario.
Abstract The nesting of the Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) sea turtle was studied from 2006 to 2012 in Drake Bay, Costa Rica, an important solitary nesting site and center of eco-tourism in the Osa Peninsula. During this period, 958 nests were recorded (mean: 136.9 nests per season; density: 3.8 nests/100m of beach per season), of which 38% were relocated to a hatchery. The incidence of poaching was reduced from 85% in 2005 to a mean of 10.1% from 2006-2012. A total of 335 nesting females were tagged; the mean curved length of carapace was 66.1cm, the mean curved width was 70.2cm, and the mean number of eggs per nest was 96.3. A mean rate of reproductive success of 79.2% was obtained and over 61 000 hatchlings were liberated from the hatchery. This project is an example of a successful community-based conservation and eco-tourism initiative. Rev. Biol. Trop. 63 (Suppl. 1): 117-129. Epub 2015 April 01.
Subject(s)
Turtles/classification , Case-Control Studies , Conservation of Natural Resources/economics , Costa RicaABSTRACT
Mexico has the second largest cycad diversity in the world, and the Sierra Madre Oriental (SMO) is one of the richest biogeographic regions for these plants. Despite there is a general Cycad National Program in the country, there are no state-level cycad conservation strategies or programs. Thus the aim of this study was to propose a cycad conservation strategy for the state of Hidalgo, which is located in the Southern part of the SMO. For this, a cycad species inventory was made in the state, for which three methods were used: review of published literature; consultation in the main Mexican herbaria to verify botanical specimens; and exhaustive field research to compare findings with previously reported species and to recognize new records at the county and state level. The proposed research work strategy combined the following elements: prioritize the county and local areas with greatest cycad species richness; prioritize the species least resistant to environmental change and/or having restricted geographic distribution; and to consider the main uses of these plants by local residents. The results showed that Hidalgo has three genera and eight species of cycads: Ceratozamia fuscoviridis, C. latifolia, C. mexicana, C. sabatoi, Dioon edule, Zamia fischeri, Z. loddigesii and Z. vazquezii, all of which are considered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This study added two new species records for Hidalgo and 21 at the county level. The species are distributed in 26 counties, of which Chapulhuacán and Pisaflores are notable for their high species richness. Hidalgo has the fourth-greatest cycad species richness among Mexican states, although its area accounts for only 1.07% of the country. The state’s diversity is greater than in other states with larger area, and even than in some other entire countries in Mesoamerica. The presented state cycad conservation strategy proposes that a total of some 11 325ha to be conserved in nine zones, including different vegetation types, distributed in seven counties. The strategy involves a mixed scheme that incorporates conservation in Protected Natural Areas (ANP), Small Farmer Reserves (Reservas Campesinas) and Environmental Management Units (UMA in Spanish). This proposal will be useful for government agencies to take into account in the process of designating land use for the Cloud Forest Biological Corridor (CBBMM in Spanish), a ANP in creation. The state of Hidalgo urgently needs a detailed analysis of trends in changes in vegetation cover and land use, and demographic studies of the cycads. It is recommended that the implementation phase of this state strategy be carried out jointly with local communities, academia, and state and federal agencies responsible for biodiversity conservation.
México es el segundo país con mayor diversidad de cícadas en el mundo. En él, la Sierra Madre Oriental (SMO) es una de las regiones biogeográficas con mayor riqueza de estas plantas. El objetivo de este estudio fue plantear la estrategia de conservación de cícadas para el estado de Hidalgo, ubicado en la parte sur de la SMO; para esto se revisó la literatura científica, se consultaron los principales herbarios de México y se hicieron recorridos de campo. Los resultados muestran que Hidalgo alberga tres géneros y ocho especies: Ceratozamia fuscoviridis, C. latifolia, C. mexicana, C. sabatoi, Dioon edule, Zamia fischeri, Z. loddigesii, Z. vazquezii, posicionándose en el cuarto lugar nacional en riqueza de cícadas. Las especies se distribuyen en 26 municipios. Se encontró que la diversidad de cícadas es mayor a la de otras entidades con mayor superficie e incluso a la de algunos países de Centroamérica. La estrategia estatal de conservación de cícadas aquí desarrollada propone conservar cerca de 11 325ha, distribuidas en siete municipios, bajo un esquema mixto de conservación. Esta propuesta será útil para que las instancias gubernamentales establezcan nuevas ANP’s en la región biogeográfica de la SMO.