Altitudinal record of the jaguaroundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), in a temperate forest of the Neovolcanic Belt in the State of Mexico

Abstract

We recorded with camera traps two jaguarundis (Herpailurus yagouaroundi) in the Hermenegildo Galeana State Park, Tenancingo, State of Mexico, at 2475 masl in 2016 and 2017. This is the first record of the species in the temperate forests of the Neovolcanic Belt in the center of the country and the highest altitude record of the species in Mexico. We assume that the jaguarundi used the forests of the state park seasonally, moving from lower elevations with tropical vegetation, since we only recorded it on two occasions, separated by six months (november 2016-may 2017), even though we sampled throughout over 23 months (july 2016-june 2018). In our study we obtained records of 12 additional species of mammals, including the bobcat (Lynx rufus), the coyote (Canis latrans), the gray fox (Urocyon cineroagenteus), the coati (Nasua narica), and the raccoon (Procyon lotor). The discovery of a high number of medium-sized mammals in the Hermenegildo Galeana State Park, very close to populated areas such as San Antonio Agua Bendita and Monte de Pozo, located in the reserve influence area, highlights the importance of protected areas, in this case of a state reserve, for the conservation of biological diversity at the regional and national levels.