A study conducted in the community of Mavita, in Honduras' Moskitia region, documented for the first time which wild mammal species interact with cassava (Manihot esculenta) crops in the forested landscapes of eastern Caribbean Honduras. Researchers used camera traps and motion-activated lights as non-invasive tools to monitor wildlife in agricultural areas.
For many years, Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii) was widely believed to be one of the main species responsible for damaging cassava crops. However, camera trap evidence told a different story: the Honduran cottontail (Sylvilagus hondurensis) was the species most frequently recorded feeding on cassava.
Cassava is one of the main subsistence crops for Miskito communities and plays an essential role in local food security and livelihoods. Correctly identifying which species interact with crops is essential for developing effective management strategies while avoiding unnecessary actions against wildlife that is not responsible for crop losses.
The study, titled From Forest Mosaics to Yucales: Noninvasive Monitoring Untangles Mammal–Crop Interactions in Eastern Honduras, was led by Manfredo A. Turcios-Casco, together with Mario R. Jolon-Morales, Bianca Padilla, Edgard Scott, and Celeste M. López. The research was published in Neotropical Biology and Conservation in 2026.
Over a period of more than two months, researchers installed camera traps in cassava fields ("yucales") surrounded by pine forest and tropical rainforest. The objective was to identify the species feeding on cassava and evaluate non-lethal alternatives for reducing crop damage.
Results showed that the Honduran cottontail (Sylvilagus hondurensis) was the species most frequently recorded feeding on cassava. Although Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii) was also detected, it was not identified as the primary species responsible for crop damage, contrary to the widespread local perception.
The monitoring also found no evidence that Mexican armadillos (Dasypus mexicanus) or lowland pacas (Cuniculus paca) consumed cassava, despite these species traditionally being blamed by local communities for crop losses. The findings demonstrate how scientific research can simultaneously improve agricultural management while supporting the conservation of threatened wildlife.
Beyond tapirs and rabbits, the camera traps also recorded ocelots (Leopardus pardalis), jaguarundis (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), tayras (Eira barbara), Central American agoutis (Dasyprocta punctata), and both common and Virginia opossums (Didelphis marsupialis and Didelphis virginiana), providing valuable information on wildlife activity patterns and habitat use across agricultural and forest landscapes.
The researchers emphasize that tools such as camera traps and motion-activated lights can help reduce human–wildlife conflict when integrated into broader strategies based on wildlife monitoring, community participation, and scientific evidence. By improving our understanding of which species actually interact with crops, these approaches can also reduce pressure on threatened species such as Baird's tapir and promote evidence-based conservation and management decisions.
The research was funded by the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF), with support from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the Protected Areas and Wildlife Management Fund (FAPVS), and other partner organizations committed to conserving the forests of La Moskitia.
The full article is available in Neotropical Biology and Conservation.