Camera traps from Rainforest Trust’s field partners in Myanmar and India have revealed an astonishing array of rare mammals – some captured for the first time ever in the wild. These images are providing biologists with invaluable data on the eastern Himalayas’ elusive wildlife.

[crb_slider]
[crb_slide image=”https://legacy.rainforesttrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/^4B3CB6ACB44F22BC3D8850E65E66FBA1D1AC23AE157C130021^pimgpsh_fullsize_distr.png” credits=”Takin in proposed Imawbum National Park. Photo by Flora & Fauna International” title=”” text=””]

[crb_slide image=”https://legacy.rainforesttrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/^6CC13CEDAAB9899474C7E5F1FF66F213A0E1B1ED535EFBD1EF^pimgpsh_fullsize_distr.png” credits=”Red Panda in proposed Imawbum National Park . Photo by Flora & Fauna International” title=”” text=””]
[crb_slide image=”https://legacy.rainforesttrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/^DF45DDFB6B8B90A4ACABD7BBB8ADB4F9BECA7C17A9D844F8AA^pimgpsh_fullsize_distr.png” credits=”Temminck’s Tragopan in proposed Imawbum National Park. Photo by Flora & Fauna International” title=”” text=””]
[crb_slide image=”https://legacy.rainforesttrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/^853BC510D12C99C8B57725974FE1ECDBE12D89A4EEB2F2E825^pimgpsh_fullsize_distr.png” credits=”Chinese Serow in proposed Imawbum National Park . Flora & Fauna International” title=”” text=””]

[crb_slide image=”https://legacy.rainforesttrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/^6F5A90B8AD4121A835A020D83F9DDB30CE8481843315F5D53B^pimgpsh_fullsize_distr.png” credits=”Myanmar Snub Nosed Monkey in proposed Imawbum National Park. Flora & Fauna International” title=”” text=””]
[/crb_slider]

As pressures mount on eastern Himalayan forests, wildlife needs protection more than ever. However, without understanding the biology of many rare species, conservation targets for protecting them remain undefined.

Using battery operated, waterproof cameras with remote sensors and night vision, researchers have collected candid photos of species like the Critically Endangered Myanmar Snub-nosed Monkey – the first such camera trap images ever recorded. Photos of other wildlife species recorded include Red Panda, Golden Cat, Marbled Cat, Takin, Chinese Serow and many more.

By collecting data on species diversity, abundance and dispersal, camera traps are helping scientists gather information on rare mammals in a region known for its remoteness and uncompromising terrain. The data collected will be used to develop conservation strategies tailored to each species.

[crb_slider]
[crb_slide image=”https://legacy.rainforesttrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/^D2A1B70CEAEDDEE0F5C7DC8107F58A4DC8A131E5BDB9E64B6D^pimgpsh_fullsize_distr.png” credits=”Red Panda in the Bugun Conservation Area. Photo by Dambar Kumar Pradhan” title=”” text=””]
[/crb_slider]

In Myanmar, Rainforest Trust’s partners have recorded images of a diverse array of wildlife in the proposed Imawbum National Park. Camera trap photos include a glimpse of the Myanmar Snub-nosed Monkey resting serenely in a mossy ravine at night, a young Chinese Serow wandering across a trail, and the night time flash of a camera trap illuminating the astonished face of a Takin– a shaggy, horned mountain goat with a vague resemblance to the muskox. These images are revealing the private lives of these forests’ wildlife while collecting invaluable data.

Working with local partner Flora & Fauna International along with indigenous communities and local authorities, Rainforest Trust is working to establish the new Imawbum National Park in northeast Myanmar. The new park will protect 380,056 acres and provide the first ever protection for the Critically Endangered Myanmar Snub-nosed Monkey.

[crb_slider]
[crb_slide image=”https://legacy.rainforesttrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/^70278F51AB983D4BFF939C0CAD5875A28FB29D7DF2FEBFDB11^pimgpsh_fullsize_distr.png” credits=”Golden Cat in the Bugun Conservation Area. Photo by Mangal Rai” title=”” text=””]
[/crb_slider]

A few hundred miles away, Rainforest Trust’s partners in Arunachal Pradesh, India have also recorded amazing images of wildlife in the proposed Bugun Conservation Area. Photos of Red Pandas scurrying across mountain trails and Golden Cats strolling nonchalantly in the afternoon sun give a glimpse into the lives of these shy creatures and allow further analysis of their behaviors.

Collaborating with local tribe and conservation partner, The Bugun Welfare Society, Rainforest Trust is working to create a Community Conserved Area adjacent to the spectacular Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary. The new area sits within a globally important bird area and serves as a stronghold for the Red Panda and a host of other rare Himalayan species.

[crb_slider]
[crb_slide image=”https://legacy.rainforesttrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Solutions.png” credits=”Setting up Camera Traps in Imawbum National park. Photo by Flora & Fauna International” title=”” text=””]
[/crb_slider]
“We’re thrilled to get a glimpse into the secret lives of these incredible animals, “said Christine Hodgdon, International Conservation Manager for Rainforest Trust. “As these project sites are some of the most diverse and understudied intact primary forest in the eastern Himalaya, the photos demonstrate the richness of biodiversity in the area and highlight the importance of conserving it.”

Learn how you can support Rainforest Trust’s efforts to protect the eastern Himalayas’ wildlife through the creation of the new Imawbum National Park in Myanmar and Bugun Conservation Area in northeast India.