The use of camera traps to study the hooded skunk <i>Mephitis macroura</i> (Carnivora: Mephitidae) abundance

Abstract

Skunks are important for the ecosystems as consumers of fruits, seeds, and insects. The hooded skunk (Mephitis macroura) is a medium-sized mammal common in North America, but its abundance is poorly known throughout its range. In a semiarid location in southern Mexico, we deployed a camera traps array to study the populations of meso-carnivores in three seasons. With 2520 camera days of sampling effort, we obtained 41 photographs of the hooded skunk, an average of 6.2 photographs per station, meaning a capture rate of 1.63 photographs/camera day per 100. Based on pelage color patterns and specific characteristics, we identified 25 individuals (seven to twelve skunks per season). Single camera-trap stations recorded up to seven different skunk individuals (an average of 3.6 individuals). The maximum number of capture-recaptures was four for three skunk individuals, and the average capture-recapture record was 1.4 per skunk. Although the survey area was appropriate for mesocarnivores, no spatial recaptures were observed for hooded skunks because the distance between cameras was longer. Traditional capture-recapture models estimated hooded skunk abundance at 12.60, 21.10, and 20.20 skunks during the dry, pre-rainy, and rainy seasons, respectively. The capture rate was higher than reported in other camera trapping surveys in Mexico, and estimated abundances were the lowest but, in the range, reported for the species using other techniques. Idiosyncratic characteristics of hooded skunks are useful to the recognition of individuals, but we recommend testing short distances among cameras to achieve spatial recaptures and to apply contemporary spatial capture-recapture analyses.