What is the academic utility of camera traps?

Learn more at this link about what these cameras can capture on a farm near Braulio Carrillo National Park.

Not everything that happens in the forest is easy to see. But cameras don't blink. For weeks, they record every step (see the attached video from Telenoticias).

What is the purpose of this research? The footage helps us understand the forests and their conservation status.

For example, there is a camera on a private farm bordering Braulio Carrillo National Park. Tapirs, deer, and jaguars were captured at this location.

All of this indicates a functional ecosystem: one where large herbivores thrive because there is enough vegetation to sustain them, and where a predator exists alongside available prey and sufficient forest cover.

The same applies to measuring tree circumference: knowing how much a tree has grown over a year reveals how much carbon it stores, and whether the forest is recovering, stable, or under stress.

All of this data provides a clear picture of the state of the forest and its biodiversity over time, allowing for well-informed decisions regarding its conservation.