Rapid Survey of the Mammalian Fauna of Morro Santana, Porto Alegre, RS

Abstract

The variety of morph structural and vegetation formations is a very peculiar characteristic in the city of Porto Alegre. The highest hill of the city is the Morro Santana, which reaches 311m. Due to its relative conservation status, it represents a very important natural fragment amongst the urbanized area. A legally protected area is intended to be established in a 370ha area that belongs to the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. In order to contribute to the conservation and management policies of natural resources essentially needed in any protected area, this study proposes to rapid survey about mammalian species occurring in the area. Traps and mist nets were used to capture small mammals. Sightings and tracks were found randomly, as well as interviews, completed the results. A total of 15 mammal species were registered. Rodents were the most numerous family in species richness, reaching the number of six. Interviews resulted in 17 species, seven of which were also registered with capture, sighting and track methods. The majority of mammals in the area is generalist and versatile in habitat use. Most of them seem to tolerate altered environments and seem to be adapted to the presence of people and urban areas. The species diversity found in Morro Santana suggests that the area still has a reasonable conservation status, despite the high amount of environmental impacts already presented.