Connecting Colombia’s protected areas: Using a functional approach for tapir species

Colombia is the world’s fourth most biodiverse country for mammal species. Thiscondition is evidenced in the high number of mammal species reported in specificgroups, such as tapirs. The country is considered a hotspot for the genus Tapirus,reporting three of the four species scientifically valid (Tapirus bairdii, T. pinchaque,and T. terrestris). Approximately ~ 49% of Colombia’s natural ecosystems have beentransformed by human activities, and ~ 16% of the national territory is designatedprotected areas (PAs). In this context, the ecological connectivity between PAs isessential to improve the conservation of threatened large mammals such as tapirsand to contribute to the effectiveness of management of these areas in the currentscenario of global change. We developed connectivity models for the tapir speciesand identified critical areas to conserve and improve ecological connections betweenPAs in Colombia. To this end, we constructed (i) distribution models for tapir species,(ii) movement resistance surfaces, and (iii) mapped least-cost corridors (LCCs).We also used the circuit and least-cost models to locate conservation priorities andrestoration opportunities, estimating the equivalent connected area (ECA) index.Our results provide a national-level assessment of functional connectivity prioritiesfor tapir species. This assessment could be considered as an input to guide effortsrelated to conservation, restoration, and implementation of management tools thatfacilitate the movement of tapirs through transformed landscapes. Implementing ofthese actions could contribute to meeting the goals of the post-2020 global biodiver-sity framework, which aims to achieve effective, ecologically representative, well-connected, and equitably managed PAs