Secret species – Camera traps show what lies within Myanmar’s lowland forests

Monitor lizard, Malayan porcupine, Indochinese tiger, Malayan tapir, great argus pheasant, sun bear and gaur. No, this isn’t the answer to the question “what are your seven favourite forest-dwelling animals?” Instead, these species have all shown up on camera traps installed by Fauna & Flora International (FFI) teams in the Tanintharyi region of southern Myanmar.

Tanintharyi’s lowland forests represent Myanmar’s last remaining habitat for tigers and other rare species, including the only known viable population of the critically endangered Gurney’s pitta. In fact, FFI-led surveys of the southern Tanintharyi region recorded 166 species that are considered threatened on the IUCN Red List. A multitude of factors contribute to the region’s high threatened species count. Expansion of monoculture plantations, hunting, logging and road construction all contribute to the decline of Tanintharyi’s wildlife.

In partnership with the Myanmar government and local communities, FFI is addressing these threats. One key approach is expanding community forest management through community forestry and building capacity in camera trapping and threat monitoring. Not only do camera traps provide crucial information about the distribution of wild animals and insight into the threats these species may face, they also give us a chance to observe their behaviour and admire their beauty.

We’ve brought together a few of our favourite camera trap clips below. We hope you enjoy watching them as much as we do.