TOURISM IN CAVES and THE CONSERVATION of THE SPELEOLOGICAL HERITAGE: THE CASE of SERRA da BODOQUENA (MATO GROSSO do SUL STATE, BRAZIL)

Heros Augusto Santos Lobo & Edvaldo Cesar Moretti: Tourism in Caves and the Conservation of the Speleological Heritage: The case of Serra da Bodoquena (Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil)The Serra da Bodoquena is the region in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil in which the Municipality of Bonito is located. This municipality is the primary calling card for tourism in the state and is one of the most developed areas of ecotourism and speleotourism in the country The tourism there is entitled ecotourism, and is designed to be sustainable. The present case study focuses on the ecologically Sustainable aspects of the spleotourism practiced there, especially the proposals for tourist carrying capacity adopted. The results and discussion provide Suggestions for the adoption of a different formulation of carrying capacity focusing on both operational and quantitative aspects. Ecologically Sustainable speleotourism in the Serra da Bodoquena should be possible as long as new proposals limiting visitation are adopted which conform to technical environmental management procedures and consider the interests of local stakeholders.

Toxic heritage: maternal transfer of pyrethroid insecticides and sunscreen agents in dolphins from Brazil

Pyrethroids (PYR) and UV filters (UVF) were investigated in tissues of paired mother-fetus dolphins from Brazilian coast in order to investigate the possibility of maternal transfer of these emerging contaminants. Comparison of PYR and UVF concentrations in maternal and fetal blubber revealed Franciscana transferred efficiently both contaminants to fetuses (F/M > 1) and Guiana dolphin transferred efficiently PYR to fetuses (F/M > 1) different than UVF (F/M < 1). PYR and UVF concentrations in fetuses were the highest-ever reported in biota (up to 6640 and 11,530 ng/g lw, respectively). Muscle was the organ with the highest PYR and UVF concentrations (p < 0.001), suggesting that these two classes of emerging contaminants may have more affinity for proteins than for lipids. The high PYR and UVF concentrations found in fetuses demonstrate these compounds are efficiently transferred through placenta. This study is the first to report maternal transfer of pyrethroids and UV filters in marine mammals.

Medium and large-sized mammals in a private reserve of natural heritage in the municipality of Jaú, São Paulo, Brazil

Medium and large-sized mammals control invertebrate and vertebrate populations and are important seed dispersers. These animals are losing their territory and living range due to deforestation and the fragmentation of natural areas, particularly in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado. The Private Reserve of Natural Heritage (PRNH) Amadeu Botelho is isolated from other forest fragments and is thus a wildlife refuge in the region of Jaú, central-western region of state of São Paulo, southeastem Brazil. Animals as such as the puma (Puma concolor), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) and jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi) have been sighted in the reserve by wildlife guards and residents. This reserve, which belongs to “Santo Antônio dos Ipês” farm, is surrounded by several plantations, and is very close to the center of the city of Jaú. In addition to surveying the mammal species in the reserve, this study diagnosed the influence of the farm’s activities and the proximity to the center of the municipality of Jaú on the fauna under study