Forest Integrity and Elevation as Drivers of Habitat Use by Medium to Large Mammals in a Conservation Priority Site in the Northern Andes

Understanding the environmental drivers of habitat use by medium to large (M–L) mammals is essential for tropical forest conservation. In the Neotropics, survey data for this group remain spatially incomplete, and species’ responses to natural and anthropogenic habitat characteristics are still poorly understood. We used camera-trap data to evaluate M–L mammal occurrence in the Serranía de San Lucas (SSL), an understudied mountain range in the northern Andes of Colombia identified as an urgent conservation priority. We assessed the influence of elevation, forest structure, human accessibility, and ecosystem integrity on species occurrence. Our surveys documented 24 M–L mammal species, five of global or national conservation concern: the lowland tapir, jaguar, giant anteater, Andean bear, and the varied white-fronted capuchin. Using spatial multispecies occupancy models, we identified elevation and the Forest Integrity Index (FII) as the strongest predictors of habitat use. Many species exhibited their highest probabilities of occurrence at intermediate elevations, supporting a mid-elevation peak in M–L mammal diversity along the gradient. Several species showed positive responses to forest integrity, with threatened terrestrial mammals displaying the strongest associations. Our findings suggest that the FII is a valuable predictor of M–L mammal occurrence and a potentially relevant target for forest conservation and restoration. We highlight the SSL as a critical refuge for species extirpated from other regions and underscore the importance of large-scale conservation strategies that maintain forest integrity and minimize human disturbance across its full elevation gradient to support wide-ranging species such as the jaguar and Andean bear.