Wildlife Action Group trap cameras aid in critical research data

Trap cameras set-up inside Thuma Forest Reserve are helping to capture critical data used in understanding wildlife species diversity and social interactions. This information is crucial for research.

Elephants captured by a set trap camera inside Thuma Forest Reserve in Salima. Such cameras are providing critical data to inform research which helps in decision making and management of the reserve (Photo credit - Wildlife Action Group)

SALIMA, Malawi (Planet Defence) - Wildlife Action Group (WAG) a local Non-Governmental Organization is utilising digitalisation through deliberately set up camera traps placed in strategic locations around Thuma reserve to assist capture critical data about variety of wildlife species and their behavioural ecology.

The data collected is both audio and visuals and helps the reserve management to make decisive decisions. This information is critical to inform research to understand the population of different species in terms of prey and predator ratio.

This assists in ecosystem balance including ensuring sustainability in the food chain and trophic levels.

The Wildlife Action Group has been analysing the data collected remotely by these cameras. The photos are helping the conservation group to identify particular elephants, family make up and even who socialises with whom.

“We felt this photo is particulary nice,” says a Wildlife Action Group top manager in reaction to the development.

The Wildlife Action Group co-manages two protected forest reserves namely Thuma and Dedza-Salima Forest in partnership with the Department of Forestry. In the case of human wildlife conflicts they have been working with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife in containing stray cases of problem animal control.

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