Assessing the short-term body condition of lowland tapirs in relation to selective logging in the Brazilian Amazon

Selective logging is a prevalent practice in tropical forests that can impact wildlife health. Here, we investigate the effects of selective logging on the body condition of the Lowland tapir ( Tapirus terrestris ) in Jamari National Forest, Brazilian Amazonia. We apply a visual assessment protocol for scoring tapir body condition, based on camera trap images obtained in logged and unlogged areas. Tapirs from both areas presented high body condition scores (average of 4.2 on a scale of 1 to 5), and there were no significant differences in scores between areas (mean score unlogged = 4.2, sd = 0.54; mean score logged = 4.3, sd = 0.56), suggesting that logging does not affect tapir body condition. However, our results apply to the short term. Further research is necessary to understand the long-term implications of logging on the tapir.