Inspiring the World Through Action in Gabon
Determined to protect 30 percent of its terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats, Gabon is emerging as a conservation leader.
Looking and Listening for Life
Can camera traps and acoustic monitors speed up conservation research in the vast Congo basin?
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This article highlights a study conducted in Central Africa's Congo basin. Use the links below to skip ahead.
Shrouded in Mystery
The massive Congo basin extends through seven countries in the heart of Central Africa, providing a home for an estimated 30 million people and resources for 50-70 million more. It’s the world’s largest net forest carbon sink, a critical biodiversity hotspot, and has been identified by The Nature Conservancy as one of Africa’s Big 5 Irreplaceable Landscapes―and yet surprisingly little is known about what lies within its dense forests and water-rich peatlands.
One thing we do know about the Congo: It’s running out of time.
Forests Lost, Hope Found
Each year, at least half a million hectares of the basin’s forests are lost, primarily to small-scale agricultural expansion. TNC is racing to reduce this pressure, building from a strong program in Gabon—where for more than a decade, the organization has supported local partners, communities, and leaders to keep forests standing while improving livelihoods.
Now, TNC is going bigger. To make a difference in this vast landscape, it is critical to identify the approaches that are most effective.
There’s a catch. These invaluable forests are vast and―in many places―nearly impenetrable. How can changes in forest health, such as biodiversity, be reliably measured?
Sights of the Forest
Over eight months, 75 camera traps captured 39 mammal species―8 of which are threatened.
Endangered Status, Giant Pangolin
Coveted for their scales, which are used in traditional medicine in Asia, pangolins are the world's most traded international species. Their meat is served in local restaurants and considered a delicacy. Their numbers rapidly in decline, none were seen in the community forest.
(00:20)
Critically Endangered Status, Western Lowland Gorilla
The combination of hunting for bushmeat, habitat destruction and a low reproductive rate has devastated this species. It has been extirpated from the community forest and is now rare within both the protected area and the logging concession.
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Vulnerable Status, Leopard
Found throughout Africa in most habitats, the leopard is the apex hunter of the tropical forest. In this study, it was seen in the protected area and logging concession―indicating that prey is still available. They are often poisoned where cattle are present.
(02:49)
Pressing the Fast-Forward Button
That’s where conservation geographer Tim Boucher and an on-the-ground team come in. Drones can’t see through the thick canopy and in-person observations are time-consuming and impractical, but a combination of low-cost, proven technologies could exponentially accelerate data collection.
In a first-of-its-kind study, Tim and the team used both camera traps and acoustic recorders in conjunction with artificial intelligence to quickly unravel some of the Congo’s deepest secrets.
African Golden Cat: This shy and seldom-seen small cat species is very sensitive to forest disturbance. It was found in both the protected site and the logging concession. © TNC
Putty-Nosed Monkey: Most monkeys are hunted, usually with shotguns, often at night. © TNC
Central African Linsang: This small, elusive, nocturnal mammal is closely related to genets and civets, which were also documented by camera traps. © TNC
Fire-Footed Rope Squirrel: Numerous rodent species were documented at all three sites. © TNC
African Forest Elephant Calf: Found at all three sites, this species can have negative interactions with people due to habitat loss, crop-raiding, property damage and defensive behavior. © TNC
Red River Hog: A sought-after game species, but still reasonably common in the community forest, and common in both the protected area and logging concession. © TNC
White-Crested Hornbill: Although the camera traps focused on mammals, numerous bird species were spotted. © TNC
Mandrill: Considered a delicacy in markets, this species has disappeared from the community forest. © TNC
Black-Fronted Duiker: One of many duiker species found in these forests, the black-fronted duiker was uncommon in the logging concession and community forest. © TNC
Chimpanzee: Hunted for bushmeat, this species has declined in tropical forests. in this study it was found at all three sites. © TNC
Looking and Listening
Although used separately in other studies, combining these tools allows researchers to comprehensively inventory silent and vocalizing animals at all levels of the canopy. The team spent two weeks covering 50 km on foot to install cameras deep in forest areas, while another group set out recorders. Sets of both were placed at three sites: a communal-use forest not under conservation management, a government protected area and a certified logging concession.
The devices acted as the researchers’ eyes and ears, documenting dozens of bird and mammal species. A staggering 3,500 hours of audio recording and 81,000 days of camera trap footage was then processed by AI in a mere two weeks.
Branching Out and Scaling Up
The results were encouraging.
The evidence suggests sustainable practices are indeed reducing the impacts commercial use has in project areas. Notably, bird biodiversity levels were similar in the logging concession and the protected area―a promising result for local communities, who are eager for support to sustainably manage their forests. On a larger scale, the study demonstrated the potential of this groundbreaking, inexpensive approach to reliably gauge biodiversity changes across ecosystems.
As always, more research is needed. But with a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck, one day soon the Congo basin will no longer be so mysterious―and it will continue to be one of the most remarkable and biodiverse places on the planet.
Sounds of the Forest
Over six days of deployment, calls from 55 bird species were heard.
Soundwaves
The call of a great blue turaco
© TNC
Rufous-Sided Broadbill
This bird has an aerial courtship display, during which it produces a frog-like trill by fluttering its wing feathers.
© Don Wellman via a Creative Commons License
Rufous-Sided Broadbill
This bird has an aerial courtship display, during which it produces a frog-like trill by fluttering its wing feathers.
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Bird vocalizations and sonations.
Black-Casqued Hornbill
The distinctive, braying calls of this bird can be heard for a mile!
© Bernard Dupont via a Creative Commons License
Black-Casqued Hornbill
The distinctive, braying calls of this bird can be heard for a mile!
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Bird vocalizations
Chocolate-Backed Kingfisher
This bird uses an unusual hunting strategy, following hunting ants and feeding on them or on their prey.
© Francesco Veronesi via a Creative Commons License
Chocolate-Backed Kingfisher
This bird uses an unusual hunting strategy, following hunting ants and feeding on them or on their prey.
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Bird vocalizations
Great Blue Turaco
The largest of all turaco species, this bird can reach 30 inches in length.
© Giles Laurent via a Creative Commons License
Great Blue Turaco
The largest of all turaco species, this bird can reach 30 inches in length.
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Bird vocalizations
Night Storm
A sound recording from a bioacoustic study in Gabon in the Ipassa Makokou Biosphere Reserve.
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A cacophany of insect and bird noises, thunder and rain
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