Following the "camera trap team" of wild animals in Cat Tien National Park
Báo Dân trí•22/10/2024
(Dan Tri) - The "camera trap team" of Cat Tien National Park regularly patrols, monitors and "hunts" wild animals using images to preserve and discover new animal species.
Cat Tien National Park, spanning three provinces of Lam Dong, Dong Nai and Binh Phuoc , with an area of 719.20km², is home to hundreds of rare animal species, many of which are listed in the Red Book and need strict protection. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Long, Deputy Head of Cat Tien National Park Forest Protection Department, said that this unit manages about 82,000 hectares of forest with 20 local ranger stations and 1 mobile ranger station. Each station is in charge of about 7 hectares of forest, with 5-7 rangers. The mobile ranger station plays a mobile inspection role and is where the "camera trap team" operates, coordinating with the Vietnam Wildlife Conservation Center to monitor and detect rare animals. Mr. Nguyen Van Sang, Deputy Head of the Mobile Ranger Station, said that each camera trapping mission has 4-6 members participating, who can work independently or in conjunction with staff from the Vietnam Wildlife Conservation Center. Before each trip, the team carefully prepares everything from batteries and cables to checking cameras and assigning specific tasks. Camera trapping missions can last from one day to several days, depending on the area where the camera traps are placed and checked. Before each trip, the rangers are fully equipped with leggings, insect repellent and tobacco water to repel leeches. The camera trapping team has to cross many dense forests, swamps and dangerous streams to reach the area where the camera traps need to be placed, which is especially difficult during the rainy season from August to October. Upon arrival, the team split up to inspect, install equipment, and survey the site to ensure the cameras were operating properly.
Camera traps are specialized cameras that use sensors and infrared lights to detect animal movements, automatically take pictures and save them to a memory card. The camera is equipped with a SIM card that connects to a phone signal, sending notifications and pictures to the team's phone when there is a signal. If there is no signal, the pictures will be saved to the memory card and checked periodically every 3 months. The camera trap is protected in a sturdy iron box, fixed with a cable to the tree trunk, and operates for at least 3 months before needing to replace the battery and memory card. After installation, the camera trap team connects to the phone to re-check the machine's operating features. Mr. Bui Van Truong, a forest ranger, said that the location of camera traps depends on each task and the type of animal, from grasslands, stream banks to dense forests. For large animals such as deer, gaurs, and elephants, the camera is placed 0.6-0.8 m high, while for small animals, the camera is placed 0.2-0.4 m low. In addition to dense forests, camera traps are also placed on stream banks, where there are traces of animals, to record images when they come out to drink water. After a while, the machine recorded a weasel with a clear image, the notification and photo were immediately sent to the team's phone. After half a day of work, the camera trap team finds a cool place to rest and have lunch with food brought from the station. Nguyen Van Sang shared that with nearby missions and easy roads, the team usually returns the same day. But with distant missions and difficult terrain, the team will stay for many days, bringing along necessities and camping equipment for the night. In addition to the task of setting camera traps, the officers of the Cat Tien National Park Mobile Ranger Station also patrol and control the forest, prevent illegal loggers and preserve the diverse ecosystem of Cat Tien National Park.
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