Santa Cruz de la Sierra Botanical Garden (Bolivia): mammal records

Posted by Paul Carter

SUMMARY
On a morning visit (2023 May 18) with Stuart Chapman we saw five mammal species including Black-tailed Marmoset.

Contents
A. Mammal records
B. Reptile records
C. Trip and Site Information

A. MAMMAL RECORDS

  1. Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus variegatus). Three seen.
  2. Southern Amazon Red Squirrel (Hadrosciurus spadiceus / Sciurus spadiceus). At least five seen around the main buildings and lake.
  3. Bolivian Squirrel (Hadrosciurus ignitus / Sciurus ignitus). One seen in the forest and one seen at the edge of the main lake. iNat post here.
  4. Black-tailed Marmoset (Mico melanurus). A group of at least three seen in the forest section near the watch tower.
  5. Common Tapeti (Sylvilagus brasiliensis). One was seen resting near the watch tower. My iNat post here; at the time of posting there were only two other iNat posts in Bolivia. We also saw it at Kaa-Iya NP.
Common Tapeti (Sylvilagus brasiliensis). Image # 20230518-0061
Southern Amazon Red Squirrel (Hadrosciurus spadiceus / Sciurus spadiceus). Image # 20230518-0015.
Bolivian Squirrel (Hadrosciurus ignitus / Sciurus ignitus). Image # 20230518-0080.

REPTILE RECORDS

  1. Red-footed Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonarius). Two seen.
  2. Yellow-headed Sideneck (Podocnemis unifilis). In the main pond.
  3. Giant South American Turtle (Podocnemis expansa). In the main pond.
  4. Yacare Caiman (Caiman yacare). In the main pond.

TRIP AND SITE INFORMATION
Day Visit: 2023 May 18 (9 AM to 1 PM)
Site info: see the website Santa Cruz de la Sierra Botanical Garden.
Logistics: Entry to the park cost 10 BOL each. There is a map board at the gate. We walked to the watch tower in the forest and a loop back to the main area of buildings, pond and fields. Mosquito repellant was essential. A taxi from town (no meter) cost 80 BOL (US$12) each way; there were no taxis around when we left so the gateman called one for us.