Porcupine (Coendou spp.) geophagy in an Amazonian landscape of fear

Pottie S.; Groves E.M.R.; Whitworth A.; Beirne C.; Bello R.; Forsyth A. · Mammalia (2025) · DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2025-0019

Resumen

Neotropical porcupines (Coendou spp.) remain poorly studied, with much of our knowledge derived from anecdotal observations or research on captive individuals. In this study, we used camera traps across multiple survey designs - an arboreal grid, a terrestrial grid, and at mineral licks - to investigate habitat use and geophagy in sympatric porcupine species in southeastern Peru. We obtained a total survey effort of 70,863 trap-nights, during which we collected 1,956 camera-trap photos and videos belonging to 526 independent events of Coendou bicolor, Coendou longicaudatus, and Coendou ichillus. Our results provide a detailed account of geophagy in C. bicolor and C. longicaudatus. We also used relative abundance indices (RAIs) to assess habitat use in these species with results showing a relatively high RAI for C. ichillus in the canopy (35.56 independent events per 1,000 trap-nights), as well as for C. bicolor and C. longicaudatus at mineral licks on ground level (97.82 and 41.16, respectively). By identifying these habitat preferences through camera trap data, we provide key insights for future research, while also expanding our knowledge on the ecology of these elusive species.