Management coverage and spatial gaps for carnivore habitat across Mexico

Abstract

Abstract Area‐based conservation is central to global wildlife protection. In Mexico, a mosaic of land management types beyond traditional protected areas (PAs), including voluntary conservation areas (VCAs), wildlife management units (UMAs), and Indigenous Territories (ITs), may play an important role in supporting area‐based conservation efforts. We assessed the conservation potential of these land management types for 28 terrestrial carnivores by quantifying spatial overlap with carnivore area of habitat (AOH) and visualizing coverage gaps. On average, 16% of carnivore AOH overlapped with land management types already contributing to global biodiversity targets (PAs and VCAs), and coverage increased to 39% when ITs and UMAs were included. Among all types, ITs had the greatest overlap with carnivore AOH. Contrary to expectations, PAs did not have the greatest coverage for threatened carnivore species. We identified several carnivore hotspots with no coverage by chosen land management types, most notably in the moist forests of Veracruz and San Luis Potosí and the dry forests of Jalisco and Sinaloa. These findings highlight the value of other effective area‐based conservation measures and underscore the vital role of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in area‐based conservation. As Mexico expands its protected area network to meet post‐2020 biodiversity targets, embracing a diverse portfolio of conservation strategies will be key to effective carnivore protection.