Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Population viability analysis and management recommendations for two huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) (Molina, 1782) populations in Chile

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Mammalian Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

With a global population estimated at 2000 individuals between Argentina and Chile, less than 1% of its historical population, the huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) is categorized as “Endangered”. Through a population viability analysis, we sought to estimate the viability of two huemul populations under different threat scenarios. Through a sensitivity analysis, we expected to identify those threats, and environmental or population variables that are more relevant for each population survival. Our main goal is to contribute to the management of the species in Chile through threats prioritization seeking to focus future conservation strategies. This research involved huemul populations from the Nevados de Chillán-Laguna del Laja Biological Corridor Biosphere Reserve (NCLL) and the Cerro Castillo National Park (PNCC). The NCLL population showed a very low probability of survival with a mean time to extinction of 45.9 years; in contrast, PNCC population exhibited a higher probability of survival with a mean time to extinction of 68.6 years. Predation and harassment by dogs seem to have the most significant negative impact on both populations’ fate. Additionally, populations were highly sensitive to the percentage of reproductive females and female mortality. Based on our findings, we proposed concentrating conservation efforts on reducing or eliminating dogs’ chances to attacks and predate huemul, as well as to focus surveillance actions on females.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahmed A, Barman R, Choudhury B, Sarma R, Ashraf NVK, Kaul R, Menon V (2016) Supplementation of eastern swamp deer in Manas National Park. IUCN Lybrary System. https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/45889. Accessed 29 Nov 2023

  • Akçakaya HR, Burgman M (1995) PVA in theory and practice. Conserv Biol 9:705–707. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-1739.1995.09040704.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akçakaya HR, Sjögren-Gulve P (2000) Population viability analyses in conservation planning: an overview. Ecol Bull 48:9–21. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20113245

  • Aldridge D, Montecinos L (1998) Avances en la conservación del huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) en Chile. In: Valverde V (ed) La conservación de la fauna nativa en Chile. Logros y perspectivas. CONAF, Santiago, pp 133–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrera R (2018) Análisis de registros de ataques a fauna silvestre chilena por carnívoros domésticos perro (Canis lupus familiaris) y gato (Felis silvestris catus) entre los años 2000 y 2016. Rev Med Vet Investig 1:92–101

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrio J (2007) Population viability analysis of the taruka, Hippocamelus antisensis (D’Orbigny, 1834) (Cervidae) in southern Peru. Rev Peru Biol 14(2):193–200

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Beissinger SR, Westphal MI (1998) On the use of demographic models of population viability in endangered species management. J Wildl Manag 62:821–841. https://doi.org/10.2307/3802534

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bíl M, Andrášik R, Duľa M, Sedoník J (2019) On reliable identification of factors influencing wildlife-vehicle collisions along roads. J Environ Manag 237:297–304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.02.076

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Black-Decima PA, Corti P, Díaz N, Fernandez R, Geist V, Gill R, Gizejewski Z, Jiménez J, Pastore H, Saucedo C, Wittmer H (2016) Hippocamelus bisulcus. IUCN Red List. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T10054A22158895

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bottrill MC, Joseph LN, Carwardine J, Bode M, Cook C, Game ET, Grantham H, Kark S, Linke S, McDonald-Madden E, Pressey RL, Walker S, Wilson KA, Possingham HP (2008) Is conservation triage just smart decision making? Trends Ecol Evol 12:649–654. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2008.07.007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Briceño C, Knapp LA, Silva A, Paredes J, Avendaño I, Vargas A, Sotomayor J, Vila AR (2013) Detecting an increase in an endangered huemul Hippocamelus bisulcus population following removal of cattle and cessation of poaching in coastal Patagonia, Chile. Oryx 47:273–279. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605312000014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brook BW, O’Grady JJ, Chapman AP, Burgman MA, Resit Akçakaya H, Frankham R (2000) Predictive accuracy of population viability analysis in conservation biology. Nature 404:385–387. https://doi.org/10.1038/35006050

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • CONAF (2019) Plan de recuperación, conservación y gestión del huemul en los Nevados de Chillán. https://mma.gob.cl/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/resol-1281-pac-huemul-baja.pdf. Accessed 9 July 2023

  • CONAF (2020) La población de huemules asociada a la ruta 7 en el Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo, Región de Aysén. CONAF, Santiago

  • Contreras-Abarca R, Crespín SJ, Moreira-Arce D, Simonetti JA (2022) Redefining feral dogs in biodiversity conservation. Biol Conserv 265:109434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corti P (2008) Organisation sociale, dynamique de population, et conservation du cerf huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) dans la Patagonie du Chili. Dissertation, Université de Sherbrooke

  • Corti P, Wittmer HU, Festa-Bianchet M (2010) Dynamics of a small population of endangered huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) in Chile, an Patagonia. J Mammal 91:690–697. https://doi.org/10.1644/09-MAMM-A-047.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corti P, Saucedo C, Herrera P (2013) Evidence of bovine viral diarrhea, but absence of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis and bovine brucellosis in the endangered huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) in Chilean Patagonia. J Wildl Dis 49:744–746. https://doi.org/10.7589/2012-04-105

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Díaz M (2019) Situación actual de la conservación del huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus). CONAF, Santiago

    Google Scholar 

  • Díaz MV, Simonetti JA, Zorondo-Rodríguez F (2020) Social acceptability of management actions for addressing different conflict scenarios between humans and wildlife in Patagonia. Hum Dimens Wildl 25:17–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/10871209.2020.1678079

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doak DF, Finkelstein ME, Bakker VJ (2009) Population viability analysis. In: Levin S, Carpenter S, Godfray H, Kinzig A, Lorea M, Losos J, Walker B, Wilcove D (eds) Princeton guide to ecology. Princeton University Press, Princeton, pp 521–528. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400833023.521

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Estevao Belchior S, Gallardo A, Abalos A, Jodor N, Jensen O (2006) Actualización sobre linfoadenitis caseosa: el agente etiológico y la enfermedad. Rev Vet Arg 23:258–278

    Google Scholar 

  • Flueck WT (2001) Body reserves and pregnancy rates of introduced red deer in Patagonia (Argentina) after a period of drought. Ecol Austral 11:17–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Flueck WT, Smith-Flueck JAM (2012) Huemul heresies: beliefs in search of supporting data. 2. Biological and ecological considerations. Anim Prod Sci 52:694–706. https://doi.org/10.1071/AN11345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frid (2001) Habitat use by endangered huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus): cattle, snow, and the problem of multiple causes. Biol Conserv 100:261–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(01)00064-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garay G, Ortega IM, Guineo O (2016) Social ecology of the huemul at Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. Anal Inst Patagonia 44:25–38. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-686X2016000100003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • García K, Jara A, Ortíz JC, Victoriano P (2008) Evaluación de un escenario de extinción para la última población de Hippocamelus bisulcus (Molina, 1782) de Chile central. Interciencia 33:152–159

    Google Scholar 

  • Gortazar C, Diez-Delgado I, Barasona JA, Vicente J, De La Fuente J, Boadella M (2015) The wild side of disease control at the wildlife-livestock-human interface: a review. Front Vet Sci 1:1–12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2014.00027

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huijser MP, Duffield JW, Clevenger AP, Ament RJ, McGowen PT (2009) Cost–benefit analyses of mitigation measures aimed at reducing collisions with large ungulates in the United States and Canada: a decision support tool. Ecol Soc 14:15. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2626830

  • Iriarte A, Donoso DS, Segura B, Tirado M (2017) El huemul de Aysén y otros rincones. Ediciones Secretaría Regional Ministerial de Agricultura de la Región de Aysén y Flora & Fauna Chile Limitada, Aysén, Chile

  • IUCN (2013) Directrices para la reintroducción y otras translocaciones para fines de conservación. IUCN Library System. https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/45234. Accessed 29 Nov 2023

  • Kusch A (2018) Resultados del Taller “Actualización del plan de acción para la conservación del huemul Hippocamelus bisulcus (Molina, 1782) en la zona austral de Chile”. Anal Inst Patagonia 44:61–72. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-686X2016000200006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lacy RC (1993–1994) What is population (and habitat) viability analysis? Primate Conserv 16:27–33

  • Lacy RC, Pollak JP (2017) Vortex: a stochastic simulation of the extinction process. https://scti.tools/vortex/. Accessed 29 Nov 2023

  • Lacy RC, Miller PS, Traylor-Holzer K (2017) Vortex 10 user’s manual. Minnesota, USA

  • Litvaitis JA, Tash JP (2008) An approach toward understanding wildlife-vehicle collisions. Environ Manag 42:688–697. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-008-9108-4

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • López-Alfaro C, Estades CF, Aldridge DK, Gill RMA (2012) Individual-based modeling as a decision tool for the conservation of the endangered huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) in southern Chile. Ecol Modell 244:104–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2012.06.032

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maffei L (2001) Estructura de edades de la urina (Mazama gouazoubira) en el Chaco boliviano. Mastozool Neotrop 8:149–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Marín JC, Varas V, Vila AR, López R, Orozco-TerWengel P, Corti P (2013) Refugia in Patagonian fjords and the eastern Andes during the last glacial maximum revealed by huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) phylogeographical patterns and genetic diversity. J Biogeogr 40:2285–2298. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy MA, Andelman SJ, Possingham HP (2003) Reliability of relative predictions in population viability analysis. Conserv Biol 17:982–989. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-1739.2003.01570.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MMA (2023) Inventario nacional de especies de Chile Hippocamelus bisulcus. MMA Web. http://especies.mma.gob.cl/CNMWeb/Web/WebCiudadana/ficha_indepen.aspx?EspecieId=8&Version=1. Accessed 29 Nov 2023

  • Morales N, Aldridge D, Bahamonde A, Cerda J, Araya C, Muñoz R, Saldías ME, Lecocq C, Fresno M, Abalos P, Retamal P (2017) Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in Patagonian huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus). J Wildl Dis 53:621–624. https://doi.org/10.7589/2016-09-213

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moreira-Arce D, Peñaranda DA, Lopéz R, Stipicic GJ, Hidalgo-Hermoso E, Simonetti JA (2021) Observations of a coastal population of huemul, Hippocamelus bisulcus (Artiodactyla:Cervidae) in Riesco Island, Magallanes region, Chile: a conservation opportunity. Mammalia 85:291–295. https://doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2020-0108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen JL, Scott JM, Aycrigg JL (2001) Endangered species and peripheral populations: cause for conservation. Endanger Spec Upd 18:194–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Othman AM, Abba Y, Jesse FFA, Ilyasu YM, Saharee AA, Haron AW, Zamri-Saad M, Lila MAM (2016) Reproductive pathological changes associated with experimental subchronic Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in nonpregnant boer does. J Pathol 2016:4624509. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/4624509

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pastore H, Aprile G (2019) Hippocamelus bisulcus. In: SAyDS–SAREM (eds.) Categorización 2019 de los mamíferos de Argentina según su riesgo de extinción. Lista roja de los mamíferos de Argentina. Versión digital https://cma.sarem.org.ar/es/especie-nativa/hippocamelus-bisulcus. Accessed 29 Nov 2023

  • Pinder L, Seal US (eds) (1994) Population and habitat viability assessment report for cervo-do-pantanal (Blastocerus dichotomus). IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist, Apple Valley, pp 1–172

    Google Scholar 

  • Povilitis A (1998) Characteristics and conservation of a fragmented population of huemul Hippocamelus bisulcus in central Chile. Biol Conserv 86:97–104. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(97)00161-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Povilitis A (2002) El estado actual del huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) en Chile central. Gayana 66:59–68. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0717-65382002000100008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rau J (2002) Crecimiento poblacional de huemules del sur nativos y reintroducidos en la zona austral de Chile. In: Actas IV (ed) Acosta-Jamett Reunión chileno-argentina sobre estrategias de conservación del huemul. Las Trancas, Chile, pp 43–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Reed D (2004) Extinction risk in fragmented habitats. Anim Conserv 7:181–191. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1367943004001313

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Revilla E (1998) Estrategias de conservación en vertebrados: el papel de la conservación “ex situ”. Galemys 10:20–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Riquelme C, Estay SA, López R, Pastore H, Soto-Gamboa M, Corti P (2018) Protected areas’ effectiveness under climate change: a latitudinal distribution projection of an endangered mountain ungulate along the Andes range. PeerJ 6:e5222. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.5222

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Saucedo C (2016) Una década de conservación del huemul. Boletín Vida Silvestre Conserv Patagón 1:1–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Silva C, Repetto F, Droguett D, Moraga C, Vila A (2011) Actas de taller: hacia un plan para la conservación del huemul Hippocamelus bisulcus (Molina, 1782) en la zona austral de Chile (11–12 de noviembre 2010, Punta Arenas). Anal Inst Patagon 39:119–136. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-686X2011000100012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva-Rodríguez EA, Sieving KE (2012) Domestic dogs shape the landscape-scale distribution of a threatened forest ungulate. Biol Conserv 150:103–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2012.03.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva-Rodríguez EA, Verdugo C, Aleuy OA, Sanderson JG, Ortega-Solís GR, Osorio-Zúñiga F, González-Acuña D (2010) Evaluating mortality sources for the vulnerable pudu Pudu puda in Chile: implications for the conservation of a threatened deer. Oryx 44:97–103. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605309990445

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simonetti JA (1995) Wildlife conservation outside parks is a disease-mediated task. Conserv Biol 9:454–456. https://www.jstor.org/page-scan-delivery/get-page-scan/2386789/0. Accessed 9 July 2023

  • Soto D, Alegría M (2020) Informe de monitoreo de objetos de conservación biológicos y sus amenazas en el Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo 2019–2020. CONAF, Aysén

    Google Scholar 

  • Strier KB (1993–1994) Viability analyses of an isolated population of muriqui monkeys (Brachyteles arachnoides): implications for primate conservation and demography. Primate Conserv 16:43–52

  • Sutherland WF, Pullin AS, Dolman PM, Knight TM (2004) The need for evidence-based conservation. Trends Ecol Evol 19:305–308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2004.03.018

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vidal F, Smith-Flueck JAM, Flueck WT, Arias E (2011) Patagonian huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) under captive conditions: an historical overview. Anim Prod Sci 51:340–350. https://doi.org/10.1071/AN10226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vila AR, Lopez R, Pastore H, Faundez R, Serret A (2006) Currents distribution and conservation of the huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) in Argentina and Chile. Mastozool Neotrop 13:263–269

    Google Scholar 

  • Vila AR, Saucedo C, Aldridge D, Ramilo E, Corti P (2010) South Andean Huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus, Molina 1782). In: Duarte JMB, González S (eds) Neotropical cervidology: biology and medicine of Latin American deer. IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC), Deer Specialist Group, pp 89–100

  • Villatoro FJ, Naughton-Treves L, Sepúlveda MA, Stowhas P, Mardones FO, Silva-Rodríguez EA (2019) When free-ranging dogs threaten wildlife: public attitudes toward management strategies in southern Chile. J Environ Manag 229:67–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.06.035

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wittmer HU, Hasenbank M, Elbroch LM, Marshall AJ (2014) Incorporating preferential prey selection and stochastic predation into population viability analysis for rare prey species. Biol Conserv 172:8–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2014.02.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young JK, Olson KA, Reading RP, Amgalanbaatar S, Berger J (2011) Is wildlife going to the dogs? Impacts of feral and free-roaming dogs on wildlife populations. Bioscience 61:125–132. https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2011.61.2.7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zachos FE, Hajji GM, Hmwe SS, Hartl GB, Lorenzini R, Mattioli S (2009) Population viability analysis and genetic diversity of the endangered red deer Cervus elaphus population from Mesola, Italy. Wildl Biol 15:175–186. https://doi.org/10.2981/07-075

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zambrano F, Lillo-Saavedra M, Verbist K, Lagos O (2016) Sixteen years of agricultural drought assessment of the BioBío region in Chile using a 250 m resolution vegetation condition index (VCI). Remote Sens 8:350. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs8060530

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Andrea Bahamonde from Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF) for providing us with data on huemul roadkill in Cerro Castillo National Park and for her comments to this research. Also, thanks to Ana Hinojosa and Miguel Díaz also from CONAF for helping us with information about current population estimations from Nevados de Chillán-Laguna del Laja Biological Corridor Biosphere Reserve. Finally, thanks to Ramiro O. Bustamante, from Universidad de Chile, for his observations to improve this manuscript.

Funding

No funding was received for conducting this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile

    Carla Solís-López, Ana Paola Yusti-Muñoz & Javier A. Simonetti

  2. Asociación Kauyeken, Santiago & Isla Riesco, Chile

    Javier A. Simonetti

Authors
  1. Carla Solís-López
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ana Paola Yusti-Muñoz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Javier A. Simonetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Data collection and analysis were performed by CS-L, and data interpretation was conducted by CS-L, APY-M and JAS. The manuscript was written by CS-L and APY-M, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ana Paola Yusti-Muñoz.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Handling editor: Heiko Georg Rödel.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 143 kb)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Solís-López, C., Yusti-Muñoz, A.P. & Simonetti, J.A. Population viability analysis and management recommendations for two huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) (Molina, 1782) populations in Chile. Mamm Biol 104, 193–203 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00401-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00401-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation