Tiny patch, big value: A small dry forest patch supports wildlife conservation in Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Tropical dry forests are among the most threatened tropical ecosystems due to ongoing agricultural expansion and development. Despite this, small forest patches persist within fragmented landscapes, though their conservation value remains poorly understood. To evaluate the role of one such patch in supporting wildlife, we deployed camera traps across three zones (Dense Forest, Grassland, and Sparse Forest) within the Murren Reserve, a small dry forest patch on the southern coastline of Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Camera traps detected 16 vertebrate species, with opportunistic encounters adding 16 more. The most detected species included the white-nosed coati (Nasua narica), raccoon (Procyon lotor), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Additionally, we recorded nationally endangered species, including the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), puma (Puma concolor), and mantled howler monkey (Alouatta palliata), as well as nationally threatened species such as the spotted skunk (Spilogale angustifrons) and white-throated magpie-jay (Calocitta formosa). Extrapolated rarefaction curves suggest that further sampling could improve species richness estimates for the Dense Forest and Grassland. Although we did not detect a difference in species composition among zones (ANOSIM, R = 0.14, p = 0.26), a generalized linear mixed model indicated that zone explained 17% of the variation in species richness. These findings highlight the role that small dry forest patches play in conserving both threatened species and broader vertebrate communities. We also provide recommendations for future research to address current data gaps and improve long-term monitoring in fragmented landscapes.