Does researcher activity affect Dromiciops gliroides capture rates? A test in two contrasting forest habitats

Abstract

Aiming to understand the low D. gliroides capture rates at the Valdivian Coastal Reserve, we disposed camera-traps at two contrasting forest habitats: a native forest habitat and a transformed habitat composed by a Eucalyptus globulus plantation with native understory vegetation. Camera-trap survey was conducted before and during live-trap operation. We found a large number of photographic records at the pre-bait period (41 photos at the native habitat and 22 at the transformed habitat). Then, when we conducted the live-trapping survey, photographic records decrease to 7 at the native habitat and 5 at the transformed habitat. Compared to similar locations in southern Chile, our study site shows low sampling effectiveness and capture success values, which could be explained by the disturbance generated by the researcher by checking the trap grid in a daily basis in a remote place where human presence is sporadic.