Altitudinal record of the jaguaroundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), in a temperate forest of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt in the State of Mexico

Resumen

In 2016 and 2017 we have a new record with camera-traps of jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi) in the Hermenegildo Galeana State Park, Tenancingo, State of Mexico, at 2475 masl. This is the first record of the species in the temperate forests of the Trasvolcanic belt and the highest altitude record of the species in Mexico. We assume that the jaguarundi used the mixed pine-oak forests of the state park seasonally, moving from lower elevations covered with tropical dry forest. We recorded it on two occasions, separated by 8 months (November 2016 – May 2017), even though we sampled over 23 months (July 2016 to June 2018). In our study we obtained records of another 13 species of mammals, including the bobcat (Lynx rufus), coyote (Canis latrans), gray fox (Urocyon cineroagenteus), 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, highlights the importance of protected areas for the conservation of biological diversity at the regional and national levels.