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Presence of the Chilean Shrew Opossum (Rhyncholestes raphanurus) in the Valdivian Coastal Range, Chile

Published Article

Chile

Publication date: August 1, 2023

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New camera‑trap detections confirm the presence of the Chilean shrew opossum in 17 sites across the Valdivian Coastal Range in Chile’s Los Ríos Region. Recorded in evergreen, alerce, and eucalyptus forests, these findings significantly expand the species’ known distribution and underscore the value of camera traps for studying rare mammals.

Subject Tags

  • Wildlife
  • Biodiversity

Abstract

In this work, we report new records of the Chilean shrew opossum (Rhyncholestes raphanurus), one of the least known mammals of the South American temperate rainforests. Using camera traps, we detected Chilean shrew opossums on 31 different occasions distributed over 17 sites, located in two protected areas of the Los Ríos region, southern Chile. The records, obtained in evergreen and alerce forests, as well as in eucalyptus plantations, show markedly nocturnal activity. These findings represent a significant increase in the number of locations where the presence of this species has been confirmed.

Citation

Vasquez-Ibarra, V. A., Cortés, E. I., Stillfried, L., Ovando, E., Gonzalez, D., Contreras, P., & Silva-Rodriguez, E. A. (2023). Presence of the Chilean Shrew Opossum (Rhyncholestes raphanurus) in the Valdivian Coastal Range, Chile. Bosque (03048799), 44(2).

TNC Authors