Effects of the presence of Canis lupus familiaris L. (carnivora: canidae) (dog) in a municipal biological reserve of the atlantic forest biome in southern Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

This study aims to raise and discuss the effects of the presence of dogs (Canis lupus familiaris L.) in the Serra dos Toledos Biological Reserve, a protected area of the Integral Protection group, located in the Municipality of Itajubá, South of Minas Gerais, in the Atlantic Forest biome. The survey was carried out through direct observations between January 1st to 23rd, 2019, as well as photographic records. In this way, the possible impacts that dogs cause to vertebrate communities in forest fragments are presented in this research, demonstrating the need for actions against the presence of this species in protected areas, since they may even cause the extinction of some species. Among the various threats that fall on the protected areas, the anthropic expansion towards these regions promotes the approach of invasive species, such as dogs. This species, when in contact with the native fauna, negatively affects it, as well as its habitats, generating predation, competition and interspecific transmissions of diseases and parasites, disorders that lead to a greater energy and behavioral demand of native individuals. The work highlights the need for further studies on the impacts and risks that dogs can play on native species in protected areas, mainly in the Serra dos Toledos Biological Reserve.