Collared Peccary Wallows are Hubs of Animal Activity and Diversity in a Central American Wet Forest

TL;DR

Collared peccary wallows in a Costa Rican forest serve as important hubs for a wide range of animals, including amphibians, birds, and mammals.

Contribution

This study is the first to document the broad vertebrate use of collared peccary wallows in Central America.

Findings

Wallows had significantly higher vertebrate activity and diversity compared to surrounding forest.

Wallow visitors included 13 amphibian, 2 reptile, 11 bird, and 16 mammal species.

Abstract

Despite research linking peccary wallows to increased amphibian biodiversity in wet tropical forests in Amazonia, wallow use by the broader vertebrate community has been overlooked. We investigated collared peccary (Pecari (Dicotyles) tajacu) activity patterns at wallows and used multiple detection methods to assess wallow use by the vertebrate community in a Central American lowland wet forest in northeastern Costa Rica. We found significantly higher vertebrate activity and diversity at wallows compared to the nearby surrounding understory forest. We documented 13 amphibian, 2 reptile, 11 bird, and 16 nonvolant mammal species, and behaviors including reproduction, drinking, and bathing at wallows. Our observations suggest that wallows can sometimes persist for at least 6 years and are consistently used over that time period by peccaries and breeding amphibians. Our study improves understanding of the ecological importance of collared peccary wallows in the region amid recent changes to Central American peccary populations and ongoing land use and climate shifts.

Collared peccary wallows are used by a diverse assemblage of vertebrates in a Central American tropical wet forest. Wallows had significantly higher vertebrate activity and diversity compared to surrounding forest. Wallow visitors included 13 amphibian, 2 reptile, 11 bird, and 16 mammal species, engaged in behaviors including reproduction, drinking, bathing, and predation.

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