It's time to wrap up September and tell you what our scientific and field teams have been up to. 🐾
After a well-deserved break and improved weather conditions, our main field team was back at work. 💪 She replaced some camera traps damaged last month and continued with habitat assessments. A large amount of environmental data has been collected since the start of our research project, and it will provide valuable information once the radio-tracking of a binturong begins. In this regard, we will soon be resuming our attempts to capture an individual for tracking purposes. We're making a few methodological adjustments first. 💡
Our second field team was deployed to the other study site to carry out the usual replacement of batteries and memory cards in the camera traps installed there. Since last time, we've been able to take a first look at the data collected between May and July, and were delighted to discover binturong records on half of our photo-trapping stations. 😍👏
Back at the office, the scientific team continues its work on the data set. 💻
Published on 09/30/2025
July 2025
Fieldwork was slowed this month due to weather conditions in the Philippines. At our main study site, the team continued to build additional traps for the radio-tracking project.
🔨 All traps will remain closed until September. The team also continued microhabitat assessments across the reserve.
At our secondary study site, the team carried out the usual replacement of camera trap batteries and memory cards. We haven't seen all the data yet, but we have already spotted a few photos of binturongs.
📸 Since we installed the camera traps in the area, we have also been lucky enough to detect the Palawan pangolin (Manis culionensis). 🤩 This species is classified Critically Endangered by UICN❗️
Members of both field teams were interviewed about their work for a short documentary series that’ABConservation preparing for the coming months. 😁
Published 07/31/2025
June 2025
Last month, we announced that our team had recovered the images taken between March and May at our secondary study site. After an initial examination of the data, here's what we discovered: numerous photos and videos of our beloved Binturong! 😍 And what a joy to observe, for the first time on this study site, another female Binturong with her young! 🤩 Excellent news for the Binturong population and for the Bearcat study program. 🐾
June marked the start of the rainy season in Palawan, but our dedicated and courageous team continued its excellent work in the field. 💪 At the beginning of the month, she replaced the batteries and memory cards in the camera traps installed at our main study site. She also completed construction of the additional trap that will be used for the radio-tracking study. Next, she continued the microhabitat assessments and made a few improvements to the camp. 🏕
Another female Binturong with her young! 🤩
Published 06/30/2025
May 2025
During this month of May, we received the visit of 4 students from AgroParisTech, members of the association "Sur les Traces de Darwin". They came to the Philippines to meet scientists, organizations and local experts who work for biodiversity conservation. Two of them were able to follow our team in the field, at our main study site, for a few days in order to document ABConservation’s efforts. They also had the chance to observe a Palawan calao (local name "talusi") as well as a group of mainats (local name "kyaw").
The field team began construction of an additional trap to increase our chances of launching the radio-tracking study soon. It has also moved one of the existing traps to another location, where it has observed recent signs of binturong activity.
This month, we also had work to do at our second study site. We purchased and received a new climbing rope, which the team on site needed. They proceeded to replace the batteries and memory cards in the camera traps, recovering data for the March-May period. 😁
Back at the office, data analysis continues. We took a first look at the data collected last month at the main study site and were delighted to find new images of binturong. In particular, the species was recorded on a tree where it had not been detected for some time and was also detected on another photo-trapping site for the first time.
Thanks to its claws, the binturong is an outstanding climber!
Published on 05/29/2025
April 2025
April was another productive month for our field team! During a second fieldwork session, the team continued to assess micro-habitats in several areas of the study site. In addition, the team continued its efforts to catch a binturong for the radio-tracking project. To increase our chances, we will be increasing the number of traps as soon as possible. At the office, we are continuing to analyze the data from the camera traps.
We are pleased to have regular detections of binturong at both study sites. 🐾 This month, Research Program Manager Elea attended a meeting of the Management Board of our main study site. As it was recently the third anniversary of their support of the Bearcat Study Program, she presented the board with an update on current studies. The members were delighted to hear about our current results and continue to support our activities. Many thanks to them. 🙏
Published on 04/30/2025
March 2025
Our main team was deployed to the research site where we are attempting to launch a first radio-tracking study of a Binturong in Palawan, accompanied by Blanche, Liezel and Denmar. They have continued to evaluate micro-habitats, collecting data that will be very useful for analyzing habitat use patterns. In the office, the analysis of camera trap data continues. We were delighted to find two videos of a mother Binturong with her two cubs. 💚 Not only is this very cute, it's also great news for the population. We hope to get more images of this mother and her cubs!
At our secondary study site, our other team changed the batteries and memory cards in the camera traps. Additional photos of Binturong and Palawan pangolin have been discovered, which makes us very happy⸱es.
Mama Binturong and her two little ones!
Published 03/31/2025
February 2025
February was marked by heavy rain and flooding, which is quite unusual for this time of year. 🌧 We were taken by surprise. Fortunately, the whole team was safe and sound. In the field, the team changed the batteries and memory cards in the camera traps set up at the main study site.
As for the other research site, we took a first look at the images recovered in January. We were delighted to find that binturong had already been photographed in the area by our camera traps 🌟
A Palawan pangolin (listed on the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered) was also detected by one of them. 🙌 If you remember, World Pangolin Day took place a few weeks ago, on February 15. On our two study sites, palm civets are regularly observed.
Published 02/03/2025
January 2025
Earlier this month, part of the field team returned to our second study site to replace batteries and memory cards in the camera traps installed two months ago.
The first data have now been recovered and we can't wait to start the analysis. The other part of the team has resumed attempts to capture an adult binturong at the main study site, for the radio-tracking project. Images from camera traps set up in this area are still being analyzed. New videos and photos of binturong have been obtained, which makes us very happy!
Say hello to the camera!
Published on 31/01/2025
December 2024
The last few weeks have been as busy as usual. Marlon, Jaylor, Arlo and Benjamin were in the field at the beginning of the month to change the batteries and memory cards in the camera traps set up in our main study area, and also to continue trying to trap a binturong for the radio-tracking project.
A first glance at the data from the previous period revealed numerous photos of the binturong in one tree in particular. It seems that at least one male individual visited this tree several times a day for six days towards the end of August, providing us with some great images.
Eating habits have even been recorded!
Published on 12/29/2024
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