SHORT-TERM MEASURES TO AVOID RETALIATORY KILLING OF A TAPIR (Tapirus bairdii ) DURING A CASE OF HUMAN CONFLICT AT LA AMISTAD BIOSPHERE RESERVE, COSTA RICA

The increase in human tapir conflict and lack of management options is worrying and has been identified as a research priority in previous conservation planning reviews for the group. Crop-raiding by Baird’s tapir was reported on a private farm within the La Amistad Biosphere Reserve, Costa Rica. We conducted an open interview with the owner and baited the tapir out of the damaged area using an artificial salt-lick. The measures taken (quick response, assistance on alternative solutions, and the decision to use of salt-licks) were successful short-term measures to avoid lethal retaliatory control of tapirs.Key words: conservation, crop-raiding, hunting, interview, salt-lick, tapir.ResumenEl aumento en los conflictos humano-tapir y la falta de opciones de manejo es preocupante, por lo que han sido identificados como una prioridad de investigación en revisiones previas de planeación para la conservación del grupo. En una finca privada ubicada dentro de la Reserva de la Biósfera La Amistad, Costa Rica, se reportó el daño a cultivos de un tapir centroamericano. Se realizó una entrevista abierta con el propietario y se atrajo al tapir fuera del área afectada usando un saladero artificial. Las medidas a corto plazo tomadas (respuesta rápida, asistencia en soluciones alternativas y la decisión del uso de saladeros) al parecer fueron exitosas para evitar el control letal retaliativo de tapires.Palabras clave: asalto de cultivos, cacería, conservación, entrevistas, saladeros, tapir.

Dung-beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabeidae) from the Zona Protectora Las Tablas, Talamanca, Costa Rica

Dung-beetle species are considered an important focal indicator group in tropical forests. During 2007, eighteen traps were set in two permanent biodiversity plots during one week surveys in Las Tablas Protected Zone within La Amistad Biosphere Reserve. The main purpose of this study was to determine the group composition and diversity as the basis for permanent monitoring and to measure potential impacts of land use change and climate change on mountain diversity. Pitfall traps were placed randomly within the plots with human feces as bait. A total of 26 species distributed in 13 genera and six tribes were collected. The composition of species includes eight endemic species, seven for Costa Rica (CR) and Panama and one only for CR. The diversity found in this study was typical of previous studies in the region. Further sampling is needed to obtain the total number of species for the area. This study is part of an on-going research project about climate change impacts and biodiversity monitoring in this important ecoregion of Mesoamerica.