{"id":293568,"date":"2024-11-01T21:23:13","date_gmt":"2024-11-01T21:23:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newhampshiredigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/01\/new-study-reveals-a-refuge-for-rare-wildlife\/"},"modified":"2024-11-01T21:23:13","modified_gmt":"2024-11-01T21:23:13","slug":"new-study-reveals-a-refuge-for-rare-wildlife","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newhampshiredigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/01\/new-study-reveals-a-refuge-for-rare-wildlife\/","title":{"rendered":"New study reveals a refuge for rare wildlife"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The Central Cardamom Mountains are some of Southeast Asia\u2019s most pristine expanses of wilderness \u2014 long considered a refuge for rare species.<\/p>\n

Now, a new study <\/a>from Conservation International and the Cambodian government provides an unprecedented peek into the region\u2019s elusive wildlife, confirming just how vital it is.<\/p>\n

In the first-ever camera trap study of the Central Cardamom Mountains, more than 100 species \u2014 almost a quarter of which are threatened or endangered<\/a> \u2014 were
\n recorded by 147 camera traps over nearly a year.<\/p>\n

Researchers say the study confirms the critical conservation value of the Central Cardamom range, where Conservation International, alongside the Chourng and Por Indigenous communities, has worked for more than two decades to protect wildlife habitats
\n and support sustainable livelihoods.<\/p>\n

The findings hint at an even greater treasure trove of biodiversity.<\/p>\n

\u201cCapturing images of 108 species on the camera traps is impressive,\u201d said Thaung Ret, an ecologist and Conservation International\u2019s lead researcher in Cambodia. \u201cYet that represents only a fraction of the animals present \u2014
\n think about the insects, canopy birds and aquatic species that are out of the camera\u2019s view.\u201d<\/p>\n

Camera traps are widely used to monitor biodiversity and guide conservation. Activated by motion or infrared sensors, they allow scientists to observe animals in their natural habitats.<\/p>\n

With data in hand, Ret and other researchers hope their findings will help expand protections and curtail the growing threat of poaching and deforestation in the area.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore, in many ways, we were working blind,\u201d Ret said. \u201cThis study has allowed us to \u2018see\u2019 into the forest. Now we have the proof, and we can focus our efforts and protect this globally important sanctuary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are glimpses of the wildlife the team uncovered:<\/p>\n

Pileated gibbon<\/h2>\n

\"ci_51877012\"\/\u00a9 Conservation International<\/span><\/p>\n

With long arms that allow it to swing from branch to branch at speeds of up to 56 kilometers per hour (35 miles per hour), the pileated gibbon is an iconic species in the region \u2014 and a standout find for Ret. It is extremely rare to see these shy
\n primates on the ground, as they prefer to be high in the forest. When they aren\u2019t sleeping (pileated gibbons can snooze for 16 hours per day), they travel long distances, rarely staying in the same tree from one night to the next.<\/p>\n

The Cardamom Mountains have the largest population of pileated gibbons in Southeast Asia, but they are highly endangered. Their numbers have dropped by more than half<\/a> over the past 45 years, and are expected to continue to decline largely due to habitat loss.<\/p>\n

Sunda pangolin<\/h2>\n
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