Grand Mazama
| Grand Mazama | ||||||||||||
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Great Mazama ( Mazama americana ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Mazama americana | ||||||||||||
| ( Erxleben , 1777) |
The Red Brocket ( Mazama americana ), also Rotmazama or Red Brocket Deer called, is a type of deer that in South America occurs and there in dense tropical rainforests alive. It is solitary and feeds on fruits and leaves. The taxonomic position of the great mazama is still unclear, but it may include several subspecies or species.
Appearance
The great mazama is one of the smaller representatives of the deer family with a head-torso length of 90 to 145 cm, a tail length of 12 to 16 cm and a shoulder height of 60-80 cm . The body weight of the individual animals is approx. 30–35 kg, but in extreme cases it can reach up to 65 kg. Female and male animals show no external sexual dimorphism . The small antlers of the animals consist only of two short skewers about 10 cm long. The coat color on the body ranges from brown to reddish brown. The inside of the neck, the underside of the chin, the lower abdomen and the inside of the legs are colored white, and the face and neck are gray. On the nape of the neck there are darker spots in some individuals, as well as a dark back line can be formed.
Occurrence
This species occurs in South America east of the Andes from Colombia and Venezuela in the north to Paraguay and northern Argentina in the south. It has also been recorded in Trinidad , while it was exterminated on Tobago . The Great Mazama prefers tropical rainforests and subtropical forests, but is also found in savannah areas near forest lines.
Way of life
Territorial behavior and diet
During the day, the great mazama, which lives as a loner except during the mating season, hides in the thick undergrowth. It is mainly active during twilight or at night. Individual animals maintain their own areas of 50 to 100 hectares, the edges of which are marked with urine and excrement . The main communication between animals also takes place through the secretions . Other markings are made by rubbing the head against the bark of the tree trunks. The great mazama spends a large part of the waking time eating. It feeds on grasses, leaves, fruits, seeds and shoots from a wide variety of jungle trees. According to studies in Suriname , it mainly eats fruits during the rainy season, but more leaves during the dry season .
Reproduction
The great mazama reproduces all year round. It is sexually mature at eleven to 13 months. Territorial males woo the females by horn fighting and biting. The gestation period of the females is 200 to 225 days, sometimes 240 days are given. Usually only one young is born that weighs about 1.8 kg and has white patches of fur. The young first hide from enemies in the undergrowth and later accompany the mother in the search for food.
Predators and enemy behavior
Their natural enemies include larger birds of prey, anacondas , the jaguar and the ocelot . Most of the time, the great mazama takes refuge in dense vegetation, but sometimes remains frozen. As a good swimmer, he is also able to escape predators through water.
Systematics
The great mazama is a species from the genus of the spit deer ( Mazama ) within the deer family (Cervidae). The Mazama genus also includes at least nine other species that are common in Central and South America. The taxonomy of the Great Mazama is unclear. It is often viewed as a complex of different species or subspecies. Originally, the Mexican Great Mazama ( Mazama temama ) was also listed within the species, but this has been considered independent since 1987, as has the Yucatán Mazama ( Mazama pandora ). There are no external differences between the individual populations of the great mazama, but there are strong genetic differences that reveal two main lines, one in the western and one in the eastern Amazon region . The species was first described in 1777 by Johann Christian Polycarp Erxleben as Moschus americanus , with Cayenne being the type locality in French Guiana .
Hazards and protective measures
The main threats to the species include illegal hunting and the destruction of their habitat. In Peru , however, legal hunting for game meat is allowed due to effective wildlife management. The IUCN lists the Great Mazama with “insufficient data” ( data deficient ) due to the insufficiently clarified taxonomic position . Several protected areas have been designated in their habitat to protect the species.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f S. Mattioli: Family Cervidae (Deer). In: Don E. Wilson and Russell A. Mittermeier (eds.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 2: Hooved Mammals. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2011, ISBN 978-84-96553-77-4 , pp. 441-442
- ↑ a b c d e Radha Orissa Singh: Mazama americana (Red Brocket Deer). The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago ( [1] )
- ^ Mogens Trolle and Louise H. Emmons: A record of a dwarf brocket from lowland Madre de Dios, Peru. Deer Specialist Group Newsletter 19, 2004, pp. 2-5
- ↑ a b J. MB Durate, A. and M. Barbanti Vogliotti: Manama americana. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. ( [2] ); last accessed on May 3, 2014
Web links
- Mazama americana inthe IUCN 2012 Red List of Endangered Species . 2. Posted by: Durate, JMB, Vogliotti, A. & Barbanti, M., 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2013.