Abstract

MARTINEZ, Nicole et al. Behavioral patterns of the anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) in agricultural and livestock environments of the Paraguayan dry Chaco. Rep. cient. FACEN [online]. 2024, vol.15, n.2, pp.92-98. ISSN 2222-145X.  https://doi.org/10.18004/rcfacen.2024.15.2.092.

The anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is a solitary and characteristic species of the fauna of the dry Chaco categorized as vulnerable by the IUCN, given its “vulnerable” conservation status in Paraguay. In recent decades, the dry Paraguayan Chaco has experienced increased agricultural activities based mainly on transforming xerophytic forests into pastoral systems. in the Paraguayan Chaco. Given the lack of knowledge of how this species adapts to these conditions, we carried out this research with the general objective of this study to describe the behavior of M. tridactyla in two livestock establishments in the Department of Boquerón. The research data was obtained from the project program “Monitoring of fauna in productive agricultural environments,” which uses the photo-trapping methodology. Sampling sites were selected at 20 stations, with a total sampling effort of 3,661 trap days between 2016 and 2019. Each sampling station was composed of a camera trap, and at least a 1.5 km distance separated the samples between them. With the photographs of the species, a behavioral ethogram was created that described behavioral categories and specific behaviors. Three hundred seventy-two photographs were obtained, which made it possible to generate the first ethogram for the species at the national level. This ethogram was divided into four behavioral categories: locomotion, foraging, intraspecific relationships, and alertness. Six specific behaviors were also observed: walking, running, sniffing, snout close to the ground, rearing on the back, and piloerection. Studies that address species' behavior, such as those presented in this work, are fundamental to understanding their ecology and their adaptation to agricultural environments and could be a key tool for their conservation.

Keywords : Ethogram; camera traps; photographs; behaviors; habits.

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