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This image of a male saiga antelope with its magnificent horns was captured on a camera trap at a watering hole in the Stepnoi sanctuary in the Astrakhan region of Russia. Natural reservoirs are hard to find, so WWF Russia and partners have cleared water holes within protected areas. Saiga are an ancient species and have outlived the woolly mammoth but are one step away from extinction in the wild. The male saiga are illegally targeted for their horns and the climate crisis also makes for the animals to find food and water. Recovery plans are in place to bring the species back from the brink
Photograph: Stepnoi sanctuary/WWF Russia
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A rare photo of two endangered golden monkeys hugging, captured on camera trap in Gansu province in north-west China. The golden snub-nosed monkey is endangered, facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild, largely due to habitat loss through agricultural expansion. Tourism and illegal hunting also threaten their future. It’s estimated only 800 individuals remain in Gansu, living high up in the forest at altitudes of up to 2,800 metres
Photograph: Gansu Baishuijing national nature reserve/WWF-China
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A winter camera trap survey captured this snow leopard and her cubs on a mountain in India’s Gori Valley. The snow leopard is one of the world’s most elusive cats. Sparsely distributed across 12 countries in central Asia and the Himalayas, it’s usually found in rugged mountain landscapes at elevations of 3,000-4,500 metres. It’s estimated up to 450 snow leopards are killed annually, mainly in retaliation from preying on livestock but also for the illegal trade. Another threat is the climate crisis with the high Himalayas warming at three times the global average, adversely affecting habitats
Photograph: Center for Pastoralism/WWF
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Orangutans have declined by about 50% in the last 60 years. They used to roam as far north as southern China, and as far south as the Indonesian island of Java. Today, they’re only found in Sumatra and Borneo. Conversion of forests to palm oil plantations is the biggest cause of habitat loss for orangutans. On average 2,200 Bornean orangutans are thought to be killed each year. A recent report by WWF and the RSPB, identified orangutans as a threatened species that is being put under further pressure because of the UK’s commodities trade
Photograph: WWF-Malaysia
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The tapir is the size of a smallish pony, which like the saiga has a very distinctive proboscis. This one was captured on camera in Juruena national park, Brazil. The tapir’s prehensile nose trunk is used for foraging, and becomes a snorkel when swimming. Like many other tropical mammals, tapirs are mostly active after dark, when they forage for food on the forest floor. The main threat they face is from hunting for wild meat, but deforestation and habitat loss are also impacting the tapir population, which is diminishing and is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN
Photograph: ICMBio/WWF
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The presence of the oriental stork is considered an indicator of the health of the Amur Basin ecosystem in China and Russia. Conservation efforts and greater collaboration between the two countries has helped the population recover, although it is still endangered. Conservation of wild populations of oriental stork involves a degree of intervention, which is why the stork in this image is using a manmade nest. What makes this nest so significant is that it has six eggs in it, the maximum number of eggs on record for an oriental stork pair
Photograph: Amur SEU/WWF-Russia
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A symbol of the enigmatic power of the Amazon, the jaguar is the largest cat in the Americas. With its forest home increasingly being destroyed, and conflict growing with farmers and ranchers, the jaguar is under serious pressure. Jaguars occupy less than half of their historical range. They’re so elusive that we don’t know exactly how many are left in the wild, which is where camera trap technology offers a view into their secret world. Back jaguars are a rare colour variant, rather than separate species, and like all jaguars are powerful hunters
Photograph: A1/ICMBio/WWF
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This night vision image of a tiger was a record for Nepal as it was the first time this big cat was caught on a camera trap. It was captured at an altitude of about 2,500 metres, showing tigers are wide-ranging and highly adaptable. They are willing to move into new areas if they can pass safely through a landscape and find enough food, shelter and water to survive, even at higher elevations. However, with about 3,900 remaining in the wild they are extremely threatened, particularly by habitat loss and deterioration, human wildlife conflict and poaching
Photograph: DoFSC/WWF Nepal
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With only about 100 amur leopards remaining in the wild, capturing one on camera was a rare feat. This amur leopard, known as Typhoon, was caught on camera in Russia’s Land of Leopard national park, which was established in 2012 and covers 60% of remaining habitats of the world’s rarest wild cat. It’s significant that Typhoon was photographed during daylight hours as these cats are usually nocturnal. The amur leopard is threatened on many fronts, but particularly from illegal logging, forest fires and the conversion of forest to agricultural land. It’s one step away from extinction in the wild
Photograph: Land of Leopard National Park/WWF
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The red brocket deer is the third animal to be captured on camera at Juruena national park, showing the variety of species in the area and the abundance of prey for the jaguar. This red brocket deer appears to be winking, but one possible explanation is that a moth has flown into its eye. Like many forest dwellers, the red brocket deer tends to travel alone, foraging for food by day and night. Thee deer are overhunted for meat and when threatened, flee into dense forest cover. However, as deforestation cuts through their habitat, there is less forest to protect them
Photograph: A7/ICMBio/WWF
