Two New Porcupines in the Amazon
Dwarf Rainforest Species May Be First of Many Porcupines Identified
Elusive and nocturnal porcupines avoid traps and researchers but dam building and deforestation in the Amazon rainforest may be forcing them into contact with humans.
The discovery of two new species of dwarf porcupine and a review of neo-tropical porcupine information suggests that even more species will be found in the Amazon. Rescue of wildlife after dam construction is one way in which more new species have been found. But hydroelectric dam construction is only one of many threats that Amazon species face.
The Two New Dwarf Porcupine Species
Van Roosmalen’s Dwarf Porcupine (Coendou roosmalenorum) and the Long-Tailed Hairy Dwarf Porcupine (Coendou ichillus) were both first described in 2001. Taxonomists have definitively separated the species, but both are tiny, tree dwelling and nocturnal.
The La Selva Jungle Lodge in Ecuador provided field observations of Long-tailed Hairy Dwarf Porcupine. The staff at the lodge identified two individual animals that lived for a time in hollow palm tree trunks on the grounds. One female was photographed eating bananas that had been hung from the rafters of one of the lodge buildings.
Van Roosmalen’s Dwarf Porcupine is named for the father and son team which discovered it in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest. One member of this species was kept as a pet by locals, then during several months of captivity in Manaus the porcupine was observed to sleep in a tree cavity and eat seeds and nuts.
Although there is some controversy concerning other new species discovered by the van Roosmalens, the possibility exists that in the case of the Van Roosmalen’s Dwarf Porcupine , there may be further separation of the species as examples from opposite sides of the Rio Madeira, one of the largest rivers in the world, show some significant differences. Unfortunately there is too little information at this time to make that determination.
Reasons the Dwarf Porcupines May Have Remained Undiscovered
Beyond the nocturnal, tree dwelling lifestyle of the dwarf porcupines, there are several possible reasons that these animals have gone unnoticed. One possibility is the two species may actually be part of a group of porcupines that was formerly widespread in Ecuador and Brazil but suffered extinction in other parts of their range.
Or they may be niche dependent, only living in very restricted areas with the specific resources they need. If these areas have not been surveyed for wildlife the species would be missed.
Finally, porcupines do not appear to be easily lured into traps. And night hunting attempts have not been very successful. So even in areas where efforts have been made to tally species, these tiny porcupines may have eluded researchers.
The Threats Dwarf Porcupines Face in the Amazon
In addition to the habitat loss caused by hydroelectric dam building within the rainforest, deforestation for cattle ranching and soya farming are taking their toll on the Amazon basin. Fires set by farmers for secondary growth clearance destroy trees whose cavities may serve as shelter for the porcupines.
These newly discovered porcupines are good indicators of how little information we have about the Amazon rainforest’s biodiversity. It will be important to protect not just what is known but also what is yet to be discovered.
