Feb 20, 2013 6:30 AM

Gallery: Secret Lives of Wild Animals Captured by 1 Million Camera-Trap Images

01
jaguar-3
Thanks to motion-triggered digital camera traps, scientists have a powerful tool for studying reclusive animals in remote, inaccessible areas -- and also for generating animated .gifs of gorillas scratching their stomachs. Okay, perpetually looping scratching gorillas aren't the point of camera-trap research. But they're a very fun byproduct, along with up-close-and-personal photographs of animals glimpsed in unguarded moments. The jaguar above, filmed in Peru's Manu National Park, represents the [1 millionth image](http://www.conservation.org/newsroom/pressreleases/Pages/Tropical-Forest-Health-in-Focus--World%E2%80%99s-Largest--Camera-Trap-Study-Reports-1,000,000th-Photo.aspx) gathered by camera traps belonging to the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring Network. Managed by Conservation International, the network has [deployed camera traps](http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/366/1578/2703) across 16 sites in Asia, Africa and Latin America. At each site, the traps collect up to 60,000 images every year, a data deluge that's led to new statistical methods for [turning aggregated photos into rigorous assessments](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1574954111000549) of regional species health and biodiversity trends, or what they call an early-warning system for nature. The researchers hope camera traps will provide near-real-time feedback of changes that would otherwise take years or decades to quantify. On the following pages, Wired takes a tour of our favorite photos and animations from the project. __Above:__ Jaguar ------ Manu National Park, Peru.
02
eastern-gorilla
Eastern gorilla --------------- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda.

TEAM Network
03
southern-pig-tailed-macaque
Southern pig-tailed macaque --------------------------- [![](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2013/02/pig-tailed_macaque2.jpg "pig-tailed_macaque2")](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2013/02/pig-tailed_macaque2.jpg) Pasoh Forest Reserve, Malaysia.
04
african-forest-elephant
African forest elephant ----------------------- [![](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2013/02/elephant2.jpg "African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana)")](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2013/02/elephant2.jpg) Nouabale Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo.

TEAM Network
05
ocelot-2
Ocelot ------ Manaus, Brazil.
06
chimpanzee-3
Chimpanzee ---------- [![](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2013/02/chimp1-ed.gif "chimp1-ed")](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2013/02/chimp1-ed.gif) Nouabale Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo.

TEAM Network
07
south-american-coati
South American coati -------------------- Caxiuana National Forest, Brazil.
08
olive-baboons-2
Olive baboons ------------- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda.

TEAM Network
09
wild-boar
Wild Boar --------- Pasoh Forest Reserve, Malaysia.
TEAM Network
10
razor-billed-curassow
Razor-billed curassow --------------------- [![](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2013/02/razor-billed_curassow2.jpg "razor-billed_curassow2")](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2013/02/razor-billed_curassow2.jpg) Caxiuana National Forest, Brazil.

11
african-palm-civet-2
African palm civet ------------------ Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda.

The iPhone 18 Pro Is for the Shutterbugs

Fun camera features help make these candy bar iPhones stand out from the dazzle of the folding iPhone Duo.

Julian Chokkattu

Don’t Buy an Android Phone Until You Read Our Guide

Shopping for a phone can be an ordeal. That’s why we’ve tested almost every Android phone, from the smartest to the cheapest—even phones that fold—to find the ones worth your money.

Julian Chokkattu

Hackers Got Inside a Flock Camera. Its Data Shows How the System Really Works

A hacker collective pulled down a Flock camera and dumped its data. The files included thousands of videos and logs showing that the device captured 1.6 million images of 50,000 vehicles in 21 days.

Dhruv Mehrotra

Introducing the WIRED App

The app is the best way to read, watch, and listen to WIRED’s journalism.

WIRED Staff

The EU Bans Social Media For Under-13s

The bloc wants to curb Big Tech’s grip on children with its new EU KIDS ACTS, but age checks, parental oversight, and privacy concerns could make its plan difficult to implement.

Isabella Ward

I Made Robot Vacuums Clean Up Cherry Juice and Cheerios. These Won

My hands-on tests reveal which models can scrub stains, reach difficult corners, and navigate a chaotic home.

Nena Farrell

Self-Driving Cars Might Change Crash Testing Forever

Lie down in a car, and you’re more likely to get seriously hurt in a crash. But a driverless future is forcing governments to revisit long-standing safety issues.

Aarian Marshall

Boox Just Announced the Palma 3 E-Reader

The e-paper device maker also launched two new color digital notebooks last night, the Note Air6 C and Mini C.

Nena Farrell

China Isn’t Buying Silicon Valley’s Call for an AI Slowdown

The US and China agree that advanced AI poses serious risks. But Beijing is deeply skeptical of a deal that prioritizes keeping US companies ahead.

Louise Matsakis

Why It Seems Like Great White Sharks Are Overrunning Maine

While a bunch of sharks cruising the Maine coast may seem ominous, it’s actually a sign of a conservation success story.

Molly Taft

Polymarket’s Next Bet? It Can Also Be a Media Company

The legal battle over whether prediction markets are a form of gambling has overshadowed something else entirely: They’re already a new form of media.

Kate Knibbs