From Forest Floor to Treetops: Capturing Mammalian Diversity with Camera Traps

Faculty Mentors

Dr. Sapana Lohani and Dr. John Swaddle

Student Researchers

Lydia Slater '26, Major: Biology; Minor: Integrative Conservation
Charlotte Toomey '26, Majors: Biology and Environmental Science 

Project Description

W&M and Filipino students worked with the Centre for Sustainability, PH to design and implement a camera trap study to document the presence, behavior and habitat use of wildlife species in the Sultan Peak Critical Forest Habitat of the Philippines to support efforts by Indigenous communities to lobby for its protection.

Effective protection of forest ecosystems requires a deep understanding of wildlife and their habitat needs. In support of the Centre for Sustainability PH and its efforts to promote Indigenous and local community-led conservation in the Philippines, students from W&M and Palawan State University documented the diversity of fauna, particularly mammals, in the proposed Sultan Peak Critical Habitat using non-invasive camera trapping methods.

By strategically placing camera traps at various heights within the forest, the team will collect data on the presence, behavior, and interactions of different mammalian species across vertical strata. The data was used to map habitat suitability for key species, needed to support lobbying efforts. They also piloted a streamlined AI process for collecting and analyzing camera trap data. 

Project ID - Format

25-008-25 - CRP Year