Translocation and long-term monitoring of threatened thin-spined porcupines (Chaetomys subspinosus) on the Brazilian coast

Abstract

With increasing infrastructural development along Brazil’s coast, environmental regulation measures are becoming increasingly necessary in the face of the damage caused by large projects that impact tropical forests. Brazilian legislation supports implementation of translocation programs for impacted fauna, especially threatened species such as the thin-spined porcupine Chaetomys subspinosus (Rodentia, Erethizontidae). Thus, we present a case study of a pioneer translocation program for the thin-spined porcupine in southeastern Brazil. We aimed to analyze the home-range and habitat selection of three translocated porcupines and one resident individual. In addition, we analyzed the success of the translocations. The porcupines were monitored by radiotelemetry for 3–16 months from October 2015 to March 2017 in a mosaic landscape of restinga forests (sandbank forest vegetation) within a eucalyptus matrix. The translocated porcupines had considerably larger home-ranges (14.29–18.36 ha, minimum convex polygon method – MCP) than did the resident animal (1.22 ha – MCP). We observed stabilization in the home-range size curves of the translocated females in the 7th − 9th month of monitoring. All translocated individuals achieved permanence within a preselected area, indicating adaptation to the new area. In addition, individuals showed a clear preference for restinga forests over drained eucalyptus plantations. Thus, our results demonstrate the feasibility of thin-spined porcupine translocations and the importance of maintaining restinga forest remnants outside of protected areas for the conservation and permanence of viable populations of this rodent.