Dinâmica social e ambiental de capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris Linnaeus, 1766) do Parque Estadual de Dois Irmãos, Recife-PE

Abstract

The capybara,Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris(Linnaeus, 1766) is the only representative of the Hydrochoeridae family. This study consisted of observing a group of capybaras, composed of seven individuals of different ages, in order to monitor their behavior and area of use in the Parque Estadual Dois Irmãos(PEDI). Data collection wascarried out between September and December 2019, using the “Ad libitum” method and later “Scan” to record the group's activities every 10 minutes. The use of the park areas was directly related to the foraging activity, which was onesof the most observed.Collective behaviors such as foraging, displacement and rest, and socialsbehaviorssuch as breastfeeding and playing were recorded.In addition to these behaviors, interactions were observed with the black anu bird, Crotophaga ani. The interdependence of capybaras with bodies of water underscored the need to preserve dams to maintain biodiversity, particularly in urbanized areas of the Atlantic Forest of Pernambuco.