Assessing Environmental Drivers of Mammal and Bird Visitations in the Northeastern Peruvian Amazon

Abstract

This study investigates the environmental drivers of visitation rates for mammal and bird species in the Maijuna-Kichwa Regional Conservation Area (MKRCA) within the Northeastern Peruvian Amazon using camera traps deployed in July 2023. Focal species were selected based on home range size, economic and cultural importance to the Maijuna indigenous community, and data availability. Environmental covariates were derived from field data along with GIS and remote sensing. Generalized Linear Models assessed individual species-habitat relationships, while nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and a Spearman’s Rank Correlation evaluated the community composition of species in relation to environmental variables and other species. This study provides baseline data on understudied species for the development of an adaptive management strategy focused on species found in wetland habitats to support subsistence hunting practices and biodiversity conservation efforts within the MKRCA.