Between walls and wilds: Myocastor coypus Molina, 1782 abundance and occurrence in gated and open communities in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract

Urban development changes the landscape and creates new environmental conditions, causing local wildlife to either become extinct or expand to new areas. An example is the Myocastor coypus, are increasingly establishing themselves in urban habitats, even within its natural distribution range. This species has the potential to impact crop production and natural vegetation, generating conflicts with humans. In the Conurbano Bonaerense, the construction of gated communities creates new niches for this species. This study aimed to analyze how the main characteristics of urban developments in the Conurbano Bonaerense (type of urbanization and water body and geographical location) are associated with the abundance and occurrence of M. coypus. Sampling was conducted during 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 in the peak activity season of the species, in open and gated communities across the Conurbano Bonaerense, covering approximately 3,680 km². The presence of the species and its signs of activity were recorded in 331 transects along streams and ponds at 24 sampling sites evenly distributed. The occurrence and abundance were higher in gated communities (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the occurrence of the species was higher in lentic water bodies compared to lotic water bodies (p < 0.05). The probability of the species reaching pest levels per transect was 0.62 (95% CI = 0.26–0.98) of gated communities, while in open communities, it was only 0.1 (95% CI = 0-0.2). These results emphasize the need for a multidisciplinary approach to develop management strategies and deepen the study of the species ecology at a local level.