With all the fear of Drones interfering with wildlife lately we thought it would be nice to do a story about how Drones are helping to learn more about and thus preserve wildlife.

For the first time ever scientists have explored a remote part of the Peruvian Rain Forests. Using trap cameras and drones they were able to captured photos of hard to find and diverse wildlife. In the short 17 day span this project went on they were able to catalog over 2000 species of animal with 19 of these having never been seen before.

The expedition into Medio Putumayo-Algodón was staffed by 25 researchers from Chicago’s Field Museum, Chicago. They carried out a wildlife check-up with the aim to provide the Peruvian government with an update on the area’s biodiversity. They used 14 camera traps and a drone to capture footage of the rainforest. This is a relatively new ability as that landscape was previously only accessible by helicopter.

The scientists recorded 1,820 different fish, amphibian, reptile, plant, bird, and mammal species. Scientists also documented large peat deposits and clay licks. Both of these are used by the local wildlife as a source of salt.

This part of the rainforest is currently being threatened by illegal logging and mining. The team said this makes the need for understanding the wildlife living there much greater. “You can’t argue for the protection of an area without knowing what is there,” said research director Corine Vriesendorp. “We discovered an intact forest inhabited by indigenous people for centuries and teeming with wildlife. We want it to survive and thrive long after our cameras are gone.”

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