# Meghalaya Sets Up 161 Camera Traps to Track Elusive Mammals and Small Wild Cats

> Meghalaya's forest authorities and the Global Tiger Forum have deployed 161 camera traps across forest tracts to scientifically document rare small cats and elusive wildlife.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Meghalaya · **Published:** 2026-10-06 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/meghalaya/meghalaya-ke-jngalon-men-chhoti-jngali-billiyon-aura-durlabha-stanadhariyon-ki-maipinga-ke-lie-161-kaimara-traipa-tainata-44010 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Meghalaya, Wildlife Conservation, Camera Traps, Global Tiger Forum, Balpakram National Park, Wild Cats

Forest tracts across Meghalaya are undergoing comprehensive scientific documentation to record the distribution of rare small wild cats and other elusive mammal species. Driven through a joint initiative between the state Forest and Environment Department and the Global Tiger Forum, the field exercise relies on 161 camera traps alongside ground surveys. Formally titled "Strengthening In-Situ Conservation of Small Cats and Other Elusive Mammals in the State of Meghalaya", the enterprise focuses on understanding how these shy creatures coexist within dense natural habitats.

## Mapping Habitats and Designing the Conservation Atlas
The primary aim of this conservation initiative is to assess the distribution patterns and population status of small wild cat varieties across different forest terrains. Beyond simple sightings, the project investigates spatial sharing and habitat preferences to build robust monitoring mechanisms involving frontline staff and village communities. All empirical observations gathered during this multi-phase effort will eventually feed into a comprehensive state-level wildlife atlas and strategic conservation action plan. Forest authorities pointed out that automated camera traps deliver an objective, scientifically rigorous method for capturing details of cryptic species that evade direct observation. The 161 camera units, procured during 2020-21, serve as the backbone for establishing a dependable geographic database of animal occurrences.

## Ground Surveys Across Balpakram and South Garo Hills
Field teams have already concluded comprehensive camera-trapping operations inside Balpakram National Park and adjoining Community Reserves situated in South Garo Hills. During these operations, surveyors conducted detailed vegetation evaluations, gathered wildlife scat samples, and recorded both direct sightings and indirect ecological signs left behind by forest animals. Community interaction forms another integral dimension of the study. Bordering villages around Balpakram participated in socio-economic evaluations aimed at determining household circumstances, economic reliance on forest resources, and everyday human-wildlife encounters.

## Community Outreach and Frontline Field Training
Educational initiatives engaged local communities across South Garo Hills, including targeted awareness sessions held at Gongrot village and Don Bosco Higher Secondary School located in Baghmara. Progressing into the subsequent implementation phase, the Global Tiger Forum and the state forest department convened a specialized capacity-building workshop in Shillong on September 29 for frontline field staff. The training agenda covered camera-trap deployment, socio-economic survey methodologies, biological specimen handling, botanical habitat identification, and systematic field recordkeeping.

Project officials emphasized that grassroots forest personnel serve as the initial observers encountering animal tracks and signs, making their technical proficiency vital for gathering uncompromised field data. Rather than generating a static inventory of species presence, the research determines specific habitat dependencies and space-sharing mechanisms among carnivores, creating an evidence-based foundation for community-backed wildlife protection measures.

## What this means for you
This scientific initiative establishes a structured foundation for protecting overlooked forest species while balancing community livelihoods.

- **Across India:** The data model offers an operational template for expanding conservation focus beyond apex predators to lesser-known small carnivores. Other states can adapt similar methodologies to map vulnerable regional wildlife populations.
- **In Meghalaya:** Local forest fringe settlements benefit from clearer interaction protocols that help mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. Forest personnel and village communities acquire improved technical tools to monitor and protect regional bio-reserves.

## Why this happened
The initiative emerged from the necessity to address critical knowledge gaps concerning cryptic small carnivores and rare mammals in Meghalaya's dense forest ecosystems.

- **Baseline Data Deficit:** Detailed regional documentation regarding small cat varieties and elusive species had remained largely incomplete across state forests. Authorities procured 161 camera traps during 2020-21 specifically to build a dependable empirical database.
- **Need for Coexistence Insights:** Devising workable wildlife policies required granular evidence on how multiple small carnivores share territorial spaces and forest resources.
- **Socio-Economic Linkages:** Because fringe village households depend on forest resources, assessing local livelihood patterns was essential to anticipate human-wildlife contact zones.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. How many camera traps are deployed under the project in Meghalaya?
A total of 161 camera traps are being used to map and document small wild cats and elusive mammals.

### 2. Who is conducting this wildlife conservation project?
The project is a collaborative undertaking between the Meghalaya Forest and Environment Department and the Global Tiger Forum.

### 3. Which forest areas have completed camera trapping so far?
Camera trapping has been concluded in Balpakram National Park and adjoining Community Reserves in South Garo Hills.

### 4. What will the gathered survey findings be used for?
The collected observations will feed into a state-level wildlife atlas and a formal conservation action plan.

### 5. When and where was the frontline capacity-building workshop held?
The training session for frontline forest staff was conducted in Shillong on September 29.

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