A multi-species corridor between the Andean Amazonian and Amazon floodplain landscapes: prioritizing ecological connectivity areas for jaguar and threatened ungulates in the north-eastern of South America

The spatial heterogeneity and variability of environmental conditions in the Colombian Amazon, located in north-western South America, are key factors explaining the high diversity of mammal species, representing 49% of those reported for Colombia. In recent decades, the Amazon forest system has experienced accelerated transformation due to deforestation, forest fires, extensive cattle ranching, and road infrastructure development, leading to degraded natural habitats and reduced connectivity among populations of large mammals in areas ecologically important for these species. However, there has been a lack of structural connectivity analysis in the Andean Amazonian and Amazon floodplain landscapes using a multi-species approach that considers predator–prey relationships among representative groups such as large felids and wild ungulate species. To address this gap, we utilized occurrence data for focal species including the jaguar, lowland tapir, and collared peccary. We developed potential distribution models, conducted binarization processes, analyzed spatial morphological patterns, and constructed a resistance matrix. This information was used to model dispersal corridors and identify nodes connecting core habitats of the focal species using the randomized shortest path algorithm, along with quantifying weighted global connectivity metrics. Our findings indicate the presence of an integrated corridor comprising potential low-cost dispersal routes for the focal species, primarily associated with the hydric network of the upper and middle Caquetá River basin. These corridors connect key protected areas such as Alto Fragua Indi Wasi, La Paya, and Serranía del Chiribiquete National Natural Parks, as well as the Cerro Páramo de Miraflores Rigoberto Urriago, Miraflores, and Picachos Regional Parks.