Habitat use patterns and conservation of small carnivores in a human-dominated landscape of the semiarid Caatinga in Brazil

In today’s increasingly degraded world, private lands are becoming integral components of wildlife conservation. The Caatinga biome possesses the largest tropical dry forest in the Americas; however, it has experienced high levels of habitat loss. Natural vegetation cover in this biome is highly fragmented, and the few protected areas tend to be privately-owned. In this context, carnivores are particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic threats. Identifying factors that influence carnivore habitat selection in privately-owned areas is crucial for effective conservation actions. To this end, we assessed the habitat preferences of northern tiger cats ( Leopardus tigrinus ), jaguarundis ( Herpailurus yagouaroundi ), crab-eating foxes ( Cerdocyon thous ), and crab-eating raccoons ( Procyon cancrivorus ) on a private reserve in the Caatinga. We sampled the area with camera traps during a 4-year period and examined habitat use patterns through occupancy models. Caatinga cover was strongly favoured by northern tiger cats. Areas near human household had higher jaguarundi occupancy and crab-eating fox detection. Edge effects did not influence any of the species. The results suggest that in the absence of poaching and provided there is enough natural vegetation cover left, private lands indeed have potential conservation value for some carnivorous species. Nevertheless, because these areas tend to be small, connectivity with larger habitat patches is important for long-term conservation.