Researchers stunned as trail cameras capture footage of elusive exotic species: 'Very important'

Imagine setting up a trail camera with the hopes of capturing images of mammals foraging in the wild only to see an elusive and exotic feathered creature instead. That's exactly what unfolded in a Malaysian forest.

The sighting of this rare bird is "very important," researchers said.

According to a study published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa, the scientists set up seven camera trap units along animal paths in Malaysia's Ulu Sat Forest Reserve. They spaced them 1.2 miles apart and approximately 20 inches above the ground, hoping to detect medium to large animals.

What they captured in the photos instead was a surprise. In May 2023, one camera documented four images of a rare and colorful bird, an adult male Malayan crestless fireback (Lophura erythrophalma) in the lowland forest.

The Malayan crestless fireback is a compact pheasant with purple plumage, a bright red face, and a vertically flattened orange tail. It inhabits low-lying forests in Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra, Indonesia. And while it's difficult to determine their exact number, it's estimated there were between 10,000 and 19,999 individuals in 2000.

In 2021, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species reclassified this species as critically endangered. This means the bird faces an extreme risk of extinction in the wild and is on the brink of disappearing.

"This is because the habitat loss factor in the range of this species is rapid," the researchers said. They further explained that the Malayan crestless fireback population was in a fast decline and at significant risk of extinction if ground-level forest loss is not contained. 

The trail camera sighting is exciting. It suggests that the bird is still thriving in the lowland forest, protected beneath the canopy of trees.

The rare bird was not the only image captured. The same cameras also snapped photos of common barking deer, wild boar, small primate species, and the white-thighed surili, listed as near threatened on the IUCN Red List.

Trail cameras are powerful tools for wildlife monitoring, especially regarding endangered species. These devices allow researchers to study animals without disturbing their habitats and behaviors, providing constant surveillance.

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They enable researchers to track animal movements and population trends. In addition, they help them identify environmental threats such as deforestation and poaching. They can then respond with targeted conservation strategies.

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