Observation of Neogale frenata aureoventris (Carnivora, Mustelidae) swimming in an irrigation canal in Urcuquí, Imbabura, Ecuador

Josué Picho Paucar; Diego G. Tirira

doi:10.59763/mam.aeq.v5i.75

Authors

Josué Picho Paucar Universidad Yachay Tech, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas e Ingeniería, San Miguel de Urcuquí, Imbabura, Ecuador https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3875-7426
Diego G. Tirira Universidad Yachay Tech, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas e Ingeniería, San Miguel de Urcuquí, Imbabura, Ecuador https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5344-6175

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59763/mam.aeq.v5i.75

Keywords:

Long-tailed Weasel, agricultural area, behavior, Andes, disturbed area, Imbabura, Ecuador, Urcuquí

Abstract

Instances of Neogale frenata swimming are rare to observe and have not been recorded in South America. Here, we present a note regarding an observation at an irrigation canal in Urcuquí, Ecuador. In a period of less than two minutes, Neogale frenata aureoventris swam twice in the canal for a distance of about two meters.

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Author Biographies

Josué Picho Paucar, Universidad Yachay Tech, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas e Ingeniería, San Miguel de Urcuquí, Imbabura, Ecuador

Josué Picho is a biologist, researcher and environmental consultant. In 2018 he received a bachelor’s degree in biology for the San Francisco of Quito University. Specialized in the applied ecology with more than 4 years of experience in biogeography, geographic information systems (GIS) and applied ecology.

Diego G. Tirira, Universidad Yachay Tech, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas e Ingeniería, San Miguel de Urcuquí, Imbabura, Ecuador

I study mammals and work for their conservation since 1990. Have university studies at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (PUCE), and Universidad Internacional de Andalucia, and Universidad de Salamanca (Spain), with theses on the ecology of fish-eating bats, on Antarctic seals, on the trafficking of wild animals, and on primate’s conservation. I have been invited to talk in several universities and congresses in Latin America, Europe, and Africa. I founded and was the first president of the Ecuadorian Association of Mammalogists (2010–2016), and I stablished several groups of mammals specialist of Ecuador. I am research associate to the Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INABIO), in Ecuador, and to the Museo de Zoologia (QCAZ), at PUCE. I have published 15 books on mastozoological themes, over 60 scientific papers, and a similar number of popular science articles.

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