A leopard was spotted in Alishan Township, Taiwan, for the first time in 31 years, as reported by the Taipei Times.
Infrared cameras caught the cat walking through the forest, at the highest elevation it's ever been seen (5,748 feet). The fact that this kind of cat was seen at this elevation may indicate that the territory these animals cover is expanding due to a growing population. Spotting this leopard is exciting because it means that conservation efforts in the area are achieving their desired ends.
Trail cameras are incredibly useful for spotting and tracking endangered species. The WWF explained that they allow researchers to understand these animals without having to go out into their natural habitat themselves. Since humans often disrupt these habitats, forcing animals away, the cameras are a good way to know how many there are and how they behave without risking much damage.
Texas A&M has also noted that the cameras don't disturb the animals as much. We don't know if animal behavior changes when humans are present, but cameras let us see how they act when we aren't there. Then, we can compare this behavior to what we see when we are there and learn even more about the creatures we're studying. It's imperative that we know more about nature as we work to coexist with it and live alongside it, and these cameras are a superb tool in helping us do that.
This isn't the first time that cameras like these have spotted an exciting animal, such as a rare fisher in rural Pennsylvania and a baby rhino calf in western Indonesia. If you want to know more about rare animals and spread the word about the importance of trail cameras, make sure you learn more and then talk to your family and friends about these issues.
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