Monitoring mammals with camera traps in a managed area

The great potential of managed forest exploitation in the Amazon makes it urgent to define methods and indicator species to assess its impact on a daily basis. The use of camera traps is promising in this type of study, as it generates irrefutable data on the occurrence of critical species. The Jamari National Forest covers an area of 220,000 ha, and currently three companies are engaged in managed timber exploitation. This study aimed to assess the impact of this exploitation on medium and large mammals using camera traps. The sample design covered two areas: control and treatment, the latter under exploitation called ‘Madeflona’. Data were collected during four expeditions carried out in 2011 and 2012, surveying medium and large mammals, as well as some game birds, thus assessing the degree of environmental impact in reforested areas after management activities.