Resource Selection and Its Implications for Wide-Ranging Mammals of the Brazilian Cerrado

A critical insight from this study is that Emas National Park, despite its small size, provides rare and essential resource conditions for giant armadillos (Priodontes maximus) and jaguars (Panthera onca), making these species highly sensitive to landscape changes caused by agricultural development outside the park. The research used noninvasive methods, including scat detection dogs, to survey five large mammals of conservation concern across 1,572 scat locations and 434 giant armadillo burrow sites. By estimating resource selection probability functions, the study revealed that while natural habitats are crucial for these species, remnants of woodland and forest vegetation enable other wide-ranging mammals like maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus), pumas (Puma concolor), and giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) to utilize agricultural landscapes. The findings underscore the need for a multi-faceted conservation approach that extends beyond park boundaries to protect these species effectively.

Vynne, C., Keim, J. L., Machado, R. B., Marinho-Filho, J., Silveira, L., Groom, M. J., & Wasser, S. K. (2011). Resource Selection and Its Implications for Wide-Ranging Mammals of the Brazilian Cerrado. PLoS ONE, 6(12), e28939. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0028939