INTRODUCTION:

The white-lipped peccary is a highly social species that forms large, cohesive groups of 10 to over 300 individuals. They are vulnerable to human presence and habitat fragmentation because they require large extensions of undisturbed forest with sufficient availability of food to maintain their biological requirements. This species has disappeared in 84% of its historic range in Guatemala. In Guatemala, the only place containing a viable population of white-lipped peccary is the Maya Biosphere Reserve although it is possible that residual populations exist in Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge, Laguna Lachuá National Park and Maya Mountains Biosphere Reserve. The specific objectives of this study were to describe the size and composition of white-lipped peccary groups in Mirador-Rio Azul National Park, a protected area within the Maya Biosphere Reserve, and describe their daily activity patterns at waterholes using camera traps and direct observations.

METHODS:

For analysis with camera traps we used photo-captures of white-lipped peccary obtained in a Rapid Ecological Assessment conducted in Mirador-Río Azul National Park in 2004. In addition, as part of this study, in 2006 we studied 12 waterholes, from April 22 to May 25. In 2007 direct observations were also made on waterholes from 8:00 at 17:00 during the months of February to May 2007 (dry season), and opportunistic encounters occurred on roads during June to January (rainy season). When a group was observed we recorded the date, time, number of newborns, juveniles and adults.

RESULTS:

In 2007 we recorded 11 groups of white-lipped peccary, five in waterholes and six in roads totaling 344 individuals. The estimated average of groups during the dry season in the Mirador-Río Azul National Park, was larger compared with Calakmul Biosphere Reserve and Corcovado National Park although these differences were not statistically significant (U = 9, P = 0.08, U = 31.5, P = 0.63). Group composition included 94.2 % adults, 3.8 % juveniles, and 2 % newborns. The groups visited waterholes more frequently between 8:00 and 12:00.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUTIONS:

The average group size of white-lipped peccary reported during the dry season in Mirador-Río Azul National Park is larger than the estimates reported in studies at the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve in Mexico and the Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica. This may be due to the moderate level of conservation within the Mirador-Río Azul National Park, high connectivity to protected areas of Mexico and Belize, and high availability of water for the presence of the Río Azul, which provides surface water availability, even during the dry season. White-lipped peccaries visited waterholes mainly during the day, registering two peaks of visits between 8:00 and 12:00 . It is necessary to increase the protection in the Mirador-Río Azul National Park, especially at the borders with Mexico and Belize, and coordinate actions should be implemented in Mexico, Belize and Guatemala to preserve the natural heritage of these protected areas.