By
Earth Touch
June 07 2016
The rainforests surrounding
Tambopata Research Center in
Peru are some of the most remote and pristine in the world – and many
of the creatures that roam these lush jungles remain shrouded in
mystery. But now, camera traps are allowing us to see what goes bump in
the night in stunning detail.
Image: Jeff Cremer
Wildlife photographer
Jeff Cremer has photographed many elusive animals this way, including puma,
margay,
ocelot, tapir and even the enigmatic giant armadillo, an animal so rare
that just one or two can be found per 100 square kilometres of jungle.
The elusive giant armadillo makes a rare appearance. Image: Jeff Cremer
"It’s always exciting to see what the camera trap captures," says
Cremer. During a recent shoot, a female jaguar crossed the trap's path,
making sure to stop in for a bit of demolition before moving along. (Big
cats are still cats, after all).
"You can see how much fun she was having," he says. "The camera took a
series of images showing her tail playfully moving around right before
the cable became completely unplugged."
Image: Jeff Cremer
And it's not just the jungle's largest inhabitants that can be a
problem for the camera equipment. Just a one millimetre gap in the
camera's housing is enough to expose the gear to insects. "They can
colonise the camera," explains Cremer. "I’ve had cameras ruined by rain,
leaf cutter ants and even termites."
Still, the result is well worth the hassle. Using a DSLR and multiple
flashes has allowed Cremer to capture high-quality images that reveal
both fine details of the individual animals that pass by, as well as
clues to their behaviour and movements. The jaguars, for example, seem
to come by the trap location every week or so.
"The photos are so high resolution that you can zoom in and count the
ticks on the sides of the jaguars," he adds. "It's great when
everything comes together and you get an amazing shot of a rare animal
captured with beautiful lighting in the middle of the rainforest."
Image: Jeff Cremer
Image: Jeff Cremer
Image: Jeff Cremer
Image: Jeff Cremer
For more amazing photos of the Peruvian rainforest and ways to get involved with Tambopata, visit
PeruNature.
source
Top header image: Shutterstock
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