GUIDELINES FOR THE DESIGN OF CONSERVATION STRATEGIES FOR THE ANIMALS OF VENEZUELA

The geographic distribution of the animals of Venezuela was analyzed a s a basis for a series of guidelines to help develop strategies for th eir conservation. A total of 313 animal taxa is distributed among 24 g eographic units, corresponding to the political divisions of the count ry. Three different criteria were considered in analyzing these data: (1) the number and density of threatened taxa were used to define a ra nking system for geographic units: (2) ''hotspots'' were identified us ing the distribution of threatened endemics, and (3) a ''critical faun as analysis'' was used to determine the minimum number of geographic u nits needed to maximize the number of sampled taxa. The first two crit eria emphasize the importance of protecting habitat in the northern po rtion of the country, where most of the undisturbed habitat remains. W e suggest that the conservation of the animals of Venezuela must follo w a mixed strategy, based on two principles: one, aimed mainly at thre atened endemics, should focus on the protection of critical habitat no rth of the Orinoco river, the second, aimed at all threatened animals- particularly high-risk taxa-should focus on assuring the long-term per sistence of the pristine habitat in the south.