Ecuador National Park Uses Motion Sensors To Photograph Rare Species (VIDEO)

WATCH: Ecuadorian Park Uses Motion Sensors To Photograph New & Rare Species

In this video from Reuters, Yasuni National Park in Ecuador has installed cameras equipped with heat and motion sensors to photograph unsuspecting wildlife that walk into view. Using them to capture over 30,000 images, researchers have discovered new and rare species in this particular area of the Amazon.

The nearly 2.5-million-acre park is home to thousands of creatures, making it difficult for researchers to document everything. Diego Mosquera, team leader of Tiputini Biodiversity Station in the park, says that the cameras have not only taken the first ever photographs of certain birds in their natural habitat and confirmed the existence of other species in the forest, but have also led the team to discover the existence of a species that was previously thought to be extinct in Ecuador.

Unfortunately, oil companies are seeking to tap into the 850 million barrels of oil hidden underneath the pristine jungle, while the government moves to protect the region. The cameras help to further discover the unique diversity found in Yasuni National Park, and will hopefully help protect it.

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