Forest floor to treetops, cameras reveal Congo Basin's hidden wildlife

The Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) vast tropical forests harbor an intricate web of life, with biodiversity existing across multiple levels—from the forest floor to the treetops. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University and collaborators have developed an innovative noninvasive method to observe this hidden world using infrared cameras.

These cameras capture 3D views of species distribution, their use of vertical space, and the environmental factors that influence them. Published in the Journal of Mammalogy, the study identified 47 mammal taxa, including primates, carnivores, rodents, artiodactyls, and pangolins, which have been detected outside their previously known geographic ranges.

The cameras revealed a diverse community, with 32 species found on the ground, 23 in the understory, and 22 in the canopy. Ground cameras captured most mammal diversity but missed many arboreal species, underscoring the importance of surveying the lower-mid-forest strata. The method also captured unique behaviors, such as bats investigating fruit in the canopy and small insect-eating bats approaching other mammals.

Understanding species' vertical habitat use can inform conservation efforts, as it shows how changes in forest structure can impact species vulnerability to poaching. The Congo Basin's intact rainforest, with 60% of its forest in the DRC, remains one of the world's most intact rainforests, but gaps in biodiversity data persist due to insecurity and limited infrastructure.