Camera trapping initiative launched in Arunachal's Tirap community forest to monitor wildlife

A camera-trapping initiative has been launched in the New Tupi village community forest in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tirap district to document wildlife movement and strengthen community-led biodiversity conservation.

The initiative has been undertaken by the Hinthong Foundation, a Tirap-based non-profit organisation, with active participation from local villagers. Around 15–20 people, including the village chief, community leaders, youth organisation president, an intern and volunteers of the foundation, participated in deploying the camera traps. Former Tirap Deputy Commissioner and Hinthong Foundation adviser Techu Aran also joined the team.

The cameras have been installed at selected locations to record wildlife movement without disturbing animals in their natural habitat. The exercise is aimed at identifying species inhabiting the forest and generating scientific information that could support future conservation efforts.

During the deployment, the team recorded several signs of wildlife activity, including wild boar and barking deer footprints and claw marks believed to be those of a Himalayan Black Bear. The team also identified areas where wild boars had been feeding. A pangolin burrow had reportedly been spotted at another location in the forest a few days earlier.

Villagers have also reported hearing Hoolock Gibbon calls during the early morning hours. Kime Obin, a field biologist with Morey Conservation Foundation and resource person for the exercise, also heard Hoolock Gibbon calls on the morning before the camera deployment.

Obin guided the team on technical aspects of camera trapping, including selecting suitable locations and installing the equipment. The camera traps were supported by the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF).

The initiative was led by Hinthong Foundation co-founders and conservationists Chajo Lowang and Sara Khongsai, who have been working in biodiversity conservation for the past five years with a focus on community participation.

The foundation said local knowledge and participation remain central to the initiative, with villagers contributing observations about the forest and its wildlife. The images and data collected through the camera traps are expected to improve understanding of New Tupi’s biodiversity and support future conservation initiatives in Tirap.

The initiative also aims to increase awareness among local communities and encourage long-term community stewardship of the forest.