Evaluation and monitoring of a new fauna passage model in the areas of the UFSCar campus, Araras.

• Grant number: 23/16402-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Animal Behavior
• Principal Investigator: Vlamir José Rocha
• Grantee: Priscila Chagas Stival
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Agrárias (CCA). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Araras , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The destruction of natural areas has transformed the landscape into a large mosaic made up of small fragments. This fragmentation occurs mainly due to advances in land use, such as the construction of roads and agricultural fields.Roads and agricultural areas act as a barrier effect, isolating and preventing the movement of fauna, gene flow between populations and increasing fauna mortality due to collisions with vehicles.Some mitigating measures are commonly used to reduce the consequences related to data fragmentation natural areas and minimize the barrier effect, such as through the construction of wildlife passages. Passages are structures for the safe crossing of wildlife when these are prevented by some obstacle in their natural environment.Despite human actions modifying landscapes, generalist species such as the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris Linnaeus, 1766) adapt well to modified environments, which has been generating conflicts between humans and fauna due to the risk of zoonosis because they are hosts of the Amblyomma Sculptum tick, which transmits the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii that causes Brazilian Spotted Fever, in addition to causing damage to agricultural crops because they benefit from crops for their food.Therefore, research aimed at including the preservation of biodiversity and rapid advances in land use are essential, aiming to reduce human-fauna conflicts and improve connection between fragmented habitats to maintain the long-term viability of wild populations.