Human-wildlife conflicts and drought in the greater Calakmul Region, Mexico: implications for tapir conservation

Increased water scarcity due to drought is driving Baird’s tapirs (Tapirus bairdii) into human-populated areas within the Greater Calakmul Region of southeastern Mexico, heightening human-tapir conflicts. Despite no direct correlation between annual precipitation and tapir sightings over an 11-year period (2008–2019), tapir incursions spiked in 2019, a year marked by the lowest rainfall (626.6 mm) in the past decade. Tapirs were the most frequently observed species at waterholes and apiaries, suggesting intensified competition for limited resources. Community-based monitoring from 2016 to 2018 further documented these conflicts, emphasizing the need for alternative water sources to mitigate threats to tapir conservation and broader wildlife viability in drought-prone regions.

Pérez-Flores, J., Mardero, S., López-Cen, A., & Contreras-Moreno, F. M. (2021). Human-wildlife conflicts and drought in the greater Calakmul Region, Mexico: implications for tapir conservation. Neotropical Biology and Conservation, 16(4), 539–563. https://doi.org/10.3897/neotropical.16.e71032