Wild pigs and their importance in the ecosystems

Zainos are medium sized mammals that play an important role in ecosystems as predators and seed dispersers, controlling the growth of wild plants. They also modify the structure of the soil and help establishing pioneer plants. As preys, they are an important source of food for other bigger mammals, such as cougars and jaguars.

The protection of zaino"s population is very important in the ecosystems, since the lack of these animals make felines go after other preys such as domestic animals (cattle), a situation that generates conflicts between wild fauna and human communities, explained Olga Lucía Montenegro, Professor at the Institute for Natural sciences.

Studying the collared peccary"s density and occupation areas and its relation with the habitat in Tuparro National Natural Park and Piumawai Natural Reserve was a labor performed by the Science-Biology Master"s student, Bibiana Gómez.

Professor Montenegro explained that this research study focused on estimating the abundance of the species in these zones that biogeographically correspond to Colombian Guayana. "In this study, a characterization of the habitat was made in order to determine the factors that are related to the profusion of the collared peccary. The habitat in Tuparro covers a lot of natural savanna, while Puinawai covers forest mainly.

Montenegro also indicated that a bigger abundance was expected in the forest, but it was found that the abundance of collared peccary is low. "The importance of this is that there is little information about this species, and it is the first estimation performed in the country and, particularly, in these reservoirs.

These species are hunt in different communities for human consumption, and in some countries such as Peru and Argentina its skin is used in the leather industry.

Professor Montenegro explains that in the study it was evident that these species are versatile concerning the habitat, since they can live in forests or savannas. The scarce abundance of the collared peccary in these studied areas coincides with a common pattern in the region of Guayana. "This is a fragile zone since it keeps the developed ecosystem upon a very ancient geological formation.