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\textbf{INTRODUCTION}     Evaluating the abundance and distributions of terrestrial mammal communities is vital to promote efficient management plans and targeted conservation actions \cite{jenkins2013global}. Yet, we first need up-to-date, accurate and rigorously recorded data of the species present in an area to provide the basis of further analysis(Antos et al 2014). This is especially important for medium and large sized mammals inhabiting tropical forests, as they are excellent indicators of ecosystem health, present high levels of diversity, and yet they are highly threatened mainly by human activities such as hunting, natural resource extraction, expansion of the agricultural and cattle frontier, and habitat loss and fragmentations (Carrillo et al. 2000; Rodrigues et al. 2009). The western lowlands of Ecuador compromise part of the Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena hotspot (Myers 2000), which presents the highest population growth rate within the world hostpots (Cinccota 2000). An increase of the population size translates into an increase of the demand of goods, resources and infrastructure, which can potentially represent a major risk for the native flora and fauna of the region.     . Yet, we first need up-to-date, accurate and rigorously recorded data of the species present in an area to provide the basis of further analysis  \cite{antos2014camera}. This is especially important for medium and large sized mammals inhabiting tropical forests, as they are excellent indicators of ecosystem health, present high levels of diversity, and yet they are highly threatened mainly by human activities such as hunting, natural resource extraction, expansion of the agricultural and cattle frontier, and habitat loss and fragmentations \cite{carrillo2000monitoring, schipper2008status, rodrigues2009boom}. The western lowlands of Ecuador is located inside compromise part of  the Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena hotspot \cite{myers2000biodiversity}, which presents the highest population growth rate within the world hostpots \cite{cincotta2000human}. An increase of the population size translates into an increase of the demand of goods, resources and infrastructure, which can potentially represent a major risk for the native flora and fauna of the region. Although Ecuador is among the most biologically diverse country countries  of the world, world \cite{myers2000biodiversity},  accurate data on the distribution and abundance ofwell known taxa such as  terrestrial mammals, remains incomplete in mammals inhabiting  the western Pacific  lowlands of the country \cite{parker1992status}    Several factors have led to an increase forests remains incomplete \cite{parker1992status}. The high diversity present  in the use of camera-traps in mammal studies over area and  the last decades. These include vast threats  the opportunity species are facing, make this region an ideal location  to maximize encounter rate of terrestrial mammals, especially apply standardized methods to collect information on  the cryptic ones, they are relatively inexpensive, efficient mammal communities  and easy their adaptation  to provide the basis for a standardized methodology (Rovero et al. 2014; Ahumada et al. 2013) human modified landscapes.    The most commonly used methods to study the mammals present in an area include line transects (direct and indirect observation), the use of traps and interviews \cite{plumptre2000monitoring, silveira2003camera,agostini2015population}. Yet, most of the time these methods are hard to replicate, standardize and are likely to present some degree of bias \cite{ahumada2013monitoring}. Several factors have led to an increase in the use of camera-traps in mammal studies over the last decades. These include the opportunity to maximize encounter rate of terrestrial mammals, especially the cryptic ones, they are relatively inexpensive, efficient and easy to provide the basis for a standardized methodology \cite{carbone2001use, rovero2009camera, ahumada2013monitoring}