Categorización de los mamíferos de Argentina 2019: resumen y análisis de las amenazas

Abstract

Assessing the extinction risk of species has become an important decision tool for the implementation of species conservation policies. In this work we summarize the result of the latest official categorization of the mammals of Argentina with emphasis on the threats identified. The assessment process was led by Wildlife Department of Argentina’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and the Argentinean Society for Mammal Research, which conducted the 2019 categorization of the mammals of Argentina during different workshops and with the participation of 446 specialists. The methodology for regional assessments proposed by the IUCN was followed, and 17 potential threats were evaluated. The main result is an on-line free access assessment for each species (https:/cma.sarem.org.ar/). A total of 417 species were considered, 16 of which were deemed not to be part of the Argentine mammal fauna and one was not assessed (Tremarctos ornatus) due to controversies regarding its presence in Argentina. Furthermore, the presence of 21 species of exotic mammals was recognized. A 24.8 % of Argentina’s mammal species are threatened with extinction, and 92.7 % of them are facing some kind of threat. The threats that affect the mammals of Argentina are habitat loss and degradation, which affect 80 % of all assessed species. This process is a vital tool for the management and conservation of the mammals of Argentina.