Camera trap surveys have revealed a wealth of rare wildlife species including elephants, leopards, tigers etc. Using six camera traps, a minimum of 31 mammals have been discovered, greater than half of that are near threatened, vulnerable to extinction and endangered under the International Union to Red List of Nature Conservation.
The study, conducted in a montane forest in northern Karen State, Myanmar, was conducted by The Karen Wildlife Conservation Initiative (KWCI) with support from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and other partners. “It is extremely rare to find such rich and diverse wildlife anywhere in the world today, but certainly in Southeast Asia.” said Clare Campbell, director of Wildlife Asia, the Australian conservation non-governmental organization that coordinates KWCI. “Thanks to the long conservation efforts of the Karen people, the area is a haven for the region’s last tigers, Asian elephants and more.”
Here are photos of animals captured during camera trap tests:
According to the 2015 FAO Global Forest Assessment, Myanmar recorded the third-largest annual net lack of forest cover on this planet between 2010 and 2015, behind only Brazil and Indonesia.
“The illegal wildlife trade is rapidly devastating Myanmar’s forests, and its proximity to the infamous Golden Triangle Region makes it particularly vulnerable,” said Nick Cox, WWF’s conservation director in Myanmar. “Illegal wildlife markets in Myanmar’s cities and along its borders must be closed, and if Myanmar is to preserve its incredible wildlife, well-trained rangers are needed on the ground.”
Damian Flemming, WWF’s director of international program support, said it was extremely encouraging to search out a wealth of unaccounted for all times because it was an excellent example of local people acting as invaluable stewards of their environment.
Source : telegraph.co.uk || scotlandcorrespondent.com || wwf.panda.org
