In the heart of the Cambodian mountains: cameras, microphones and artificial intelligence reveal the secret life of wildlife

IN BRIEF In the chain of Cardamoms (more than one million hectares), a project combining cameras, microphones hidden and artificial intelligence to unveil the secret wildlife. More than 100 species detected in the center of the massif, including pangolins, elephants, dholes and macaques. In 2024, a first study by camera traps mobilized nearly 150 devices The campaigns continue. The bioacoustic recordings captured nearly 800 screams in six weeks; the AI ​​was trained to recognize the gibbons. Future goal: to differentiate between males and females, then to recognize their calls. individual. Local involvement: Indigenous communities (e.g. Pan Sok, minority Chong) help to position and check the devices. Ratha Sor (Conservation International) describes gibbon calls as “indicators” that the forest is alive. Persistent threats: historical deforestation (loss of more than a third), 7,000 hectares lost over the last 5 years and infrastructure projects. Goal: to transform audio and visual evidence into concrete arguments to better protect the forest and its wildlife.

Beneath the drumming of rain in the canopy, the piercing cry of a gibbon tears through the air — a sign that the forest is still breathing. In the massif of Cardamoms, of the microphones concealed and cameras– traps, supported byartificial intelligenceThey transform these sounds and images into living clues: pangolins, elephants, dholes, and macaques speak again to those who want to protect their territory. Led by Conservation InternationalThe operation blends technology and local knowledge — from residents as well as Pan Sok show where to place the devices — to track invisible wildlife, follow its evolution and reveal the threats of poaching and the deforestationThe monitors bioacoustics and the AI, trained to recognize gibbon calls, begins to tell the sonic story of the forest, a story that the camera alone could not capture.

In the rustling depths of the massif Cardamoms, a strange score blends the patter of rain, the piercing song of a crested gibbon and the discreet clicking of a camera. Thanks to a device combining cameras, microphones hidden and artificial intelligence, forest rangers, scientists and locals lift a corner of the veil on the secret life of a threatened forest — revealing more than a hundred species and valuable clues for their protection.

A symphony in the canopy

Above the sound of rain trickling through the canopy, the cry of a gibbon It pierces the jungle like a whistle in a train station. This cry, recorded by discreet sensors, is not just a wild poem: for Ratha Sor, head of biodiversity at Conservation International, it is “the indicator that our forest is still alive.” Bioacoustic recordings thus transform the canopy into a sound theatre where each call tells a story of survival.

Technology at the service of the forest

The project combines camera trapsmicrophones andAI to map the wildlife of the Cardamom Mountains, a massif that stretches over more than a million hectares in southwestern Cambodia. After decades of exploitation and poaching, these mountains nevertheless harbor astonishing biodiversity — pangolins, elephantsmacaques and canids like the dholesInitial results show the presence of over 100 species, of which nearly twenty are vulnerable or threatened.

Talking camera traps

In 2024, the first large-scale camera trap study deployed nearly 150 cameras capable of triggering without human intervention. Field teams replace and retrieve these cameras while on patrol, discovering black and white images of surprising animals and sometimes of worrying absences—some rangers hadn’t seen a single one.elephant in twelve years of service. The cameras reveal what the human eye misses, while the microphones capture the intangible: the rapid cries of the gibbons flying over the canopy.

Machine learning: training the digital ear

The team spent three months training a program ofmachine learning to identify the calls from sensors installed at several sites. In just six weeks, the devices recorded nearly 800 calls; researchers labeled about half of the samples to teach the AI ​​to distinguish “it’s a gibbon” from “it’s not.” The goal now is to go further: to differentiate between males and females, and then, one day, to recognize individuals by their calls.

Local actors: rangers, residents and indigenous knowledge

The success of this initiative also depends on local skills. Indigenous residents, like Pan Sok from the minority, play a key role. ChongThey indicated where to place cameras and microphones, then viewed the footage from their own installations. This man, who calls himself a “jungle man,” felt a childlike pride upon discovering pig-tailed macaques and other animals on the screen. dholes and elephants. These collaborations show that conservation is built as much on technology as on the human connection to the forest.

Alarming discoveries and findings

Conservation International has documented rich biodiversity in the heart of the Cardamom Mountains, confirming the crucial role of this rainforest, considered one of the last great forests in the region. However, the picture is not entirely reassuring: Cambodia has lost more than a third of its forest cover Over the past 25 years, the Central Cardamom Protected Area has lost nearly 7,000 hectares in the last five years alone. Pressures persist – deforestation, poaching, and infrastructure projects such as dams and cement plants.

Human pressures: concrete, dams and fires

Industrial development projects threaten recent scientific discoveries and habitat continuity. Reports indicate that new discoveries in Cambodia are sometimes jeopardized by the construction of cement plants, while dam construction continues to fragment ecosystems. Frequent forest fires exacerbate the danger: one week saw 647 fires in Cambodia, a sign that fire is yet another enemy of the forest. For a more in-depth look at the national context and these issues, see the analyses available on [website/platform name]. TV5Monde, Southeast Asia And RTBF.

Continuous monitoring and renewal of campaigns

The initial campaigns were renewed and supplemented by continuous targeted monitoring, set up in areas where animals are likely to pass. This longitudinal monitoring allows for the observation of behavioral trends and the recurring presence of species. AFP and media outlets such as France 24 accompanied teams in the field to report on these operations, showing how technological innovation can coexist with traditional surveillance practices.

When science meets awareness

Beyond data collection, these projects also serve to mobilize the general public. Initiatives such as short films, reports, and educational campaigns seek to reconnect city dwellers and decision-makers with the value of Cambodian nature. Local and international actors highlight examples of species reintroduction and stories to raise awareness: see, for example, the stories and commitments published on Southeast Asia or captive breeding activities such as those mentioned on Southeast Asia.

The limits of AI and the road ahead

Even if theAI While it can now detect calls and learn to classify them, it’s not a magic wand. The models require labeled data, human oversight, and safe field conditions for the teams. Technical challenges include the speed of gibbons in the treetops, the variability of their calls, and ambient noise from rain and insects. However, the program aims to refine its algorithms to recognize the sex and then the individual identity of gibbons, paving the way for highly detailed population monitoring.

Evidence for the defense of the forest

Ratha Sor and his colleagues rely on this evidence—images, recordings, presence maps—to immediately plead with authorities and donors: the forest is a living heritage that must be protected. Documenting the wildlife, the presence of iconic species, and their behavior provides tangible arguments against economic pressures. In-depth reports and investigations into the future of the Cardamom Mountains explain these tensions and environmental challenges, as seen on GEO and on regional reporting platforms such as Southeast Asia.

Stories, visual evidence, and community engagement

The combination of tools — cameras, microphones, AI — and local actors form a solid framework for conservation: technology provides the evidence, but it is the local people, the rangers, and the Indigenous communities who give meaning and action to the data. The collected images and sounds create a unifying narrative capable of sparking national and international interest, as evidenced by media coverage on MSN Or Southeast Asia.

Frequently asked questions about the secret life of Cardamoms revealed by cameras, microphones and AI