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    9 rare animals caught on camera in the ‘Amazon of Asia’

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    The results of a new camera-trap survey in Southeast Asia is revealing a bevy of hidden biodiversity tucked within the Annamites mountain range. This largely unexplored wildlife hotspot has a forest stretching 683 miles (1,100 kilometers) across the countries of Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. 

    The survey took place over the course of 2025 and uncovered numerous enchanting and rare species. The embedded cameras picked up many of the endangered animals’ unique behaviors and preferred habitats, while also providing conservationists with crucial data on the key threats to the region’s many species. It was conducted by nature conservation charity Fauna & Flora, and its local and global partners. 

    “The Annamites mountain range—sometimes called the ‘Amazon of Asia’—is alive with a host of incredible creatures, each playing a critical role in maintaining the forest ecosystems that are vital to the health of our planet,” Gareth Goldthorpe, a Senior Technical Adviser, Asia-Pacific, Fauna & Flora said in a statement. “This camera-trap data allows us to discover some of the Annamites’ rarest species, while also understanding more about their behaviour, preferred topography and their interactions with human settlements.”

    Take a look at nine of the survey’s exciting finds below. (Click to expand images to full screen.)

    Asian elephant 

    a small elephant in a forest looks back at a camera
    Despite being the smallest elephant species, Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) need room to roam. Forest fragmentation is arguably their greatest threat because it increases their exposure to poaching and to human-elephant conflict. To ensure the species’ long-term survival, protecting and connecting the remaining forested landscapes is critical.Image: © Fauna & Flora.

    Sun bear

    a black and white photo of two bears wrestling
    The name sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) comes from this mammal’s distinctive orange-yellow chest patch. These play-fighting sun bears have poor eyesight and hearing. However, they make up for it with a powerful sense of smell—and strength. Their claws can excavate a bees’ nest and rip open termite mounts, which are as hard as concrete concrete. Sun bears are currently threatened by deforestation and poaching for their gall bladder and paws. Image: © Fauna & Flora.

    Clouded leopard

    a spotted cat
    The clouded leopard’s (Helarctos malayanus) markings make it a prime target for poachers in the illegal wildlife trade. The felines are often trafficked alive as exotic pets and their pelts are illegally sold to make luxury clothing and decorations. They also may be killed for their teeth, claws, and bones, which are passed off as tiger parts. Image: © Fauna & Flora.

    Great hornbill 

    a bird with black plummage and a yellow beak in a forest
    Great hornbills (Buceros bicornis) are large birds that play an important role as seed dispersers. They feed on fruit high in the forest canopy and then fly around, spreading seeds as they go. This and other hornbill species have earned the nickname “barometers of biodiversity” because the presence of these threatened birds is a strong indicator of a healthy forest. Image: © Fauna & Flora.

    Sunda pangolin 

    a black and white photo of a baby pangolin riding on its mom's tail. these mammals have scaly skin and long noses
    Baby Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica) are affectionately called pangopups and have a unique way of getting around the forest. They hitch a ride on board their mother’s tail. Sunda pangolins are critically endangered and their meta and scales make these scaly anteaters the world’s most trafficked mammal. This pangolin was photographed at Pu Mat National Park in Vietnam. Image: © Fauna & Flora.

    Asian leopard cat

    Asian leopard cat

    The Asian leopard cat (Prionailurus planiceps) is considered a forest’s feline canary in a coal mine. They act as an early-warning system for the black market exotic pet trade, since they are heavily traded. According to Fauna & Flora, there is growing concern about the numbers of Asian leopard cats being illegally traded, with wild-caught individuals being bred with domestic cats to produce hybrid Bengal cats. Last year, they were spotted in Thailand for the first time in 30 years.  CREDIT: © Fauna & Flora.

    The Asian leopard cat (Prionailurus planiceps) is considered a forest’s feline canary in a coal mine. They act as an early-warning system for the black market exotic pet trade, since they are heavily traded. According to Fauna & Flora, there is growing concern about the numbers of Asian leopard cats being illegally traded, with wild-caught individuals being bred with domestic cats to produce hybrid Bengal cats. Last year, they were spotted in Thailand for the first time in 30 years.  CREDIT: © Fauna & Flora.

    Serow 

    a black-furred animal called a serow with two horns in a forest
    The shy and elusive serow (any of four species in the genus Capricornis) is kind of like a cross between an antelope and a goat. These medium-sized, black-furred mammals prefer rocky, forested hillsides. They are often hunted for their meat and a pair of short horns. Image: © Fauna & Flora.

    Stump-tailed macaque

    two monkeys sit on a log in the forest
    In this photo, a mother and baby stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides) are perching on a fallen tree. These primates are known for their short, hairless tail, and spend a lot of their day feeding on fallen fruit on the forest floor. Image: © Fauna & Flora.

    Grey peacock-pheasant

    a peacock pheasant with gray feathers with iridescent spots
    A male peacock-pheasant (from the genus Polyplectron) is trying to impress watching females with his iridescent eyespots (or ocelli) and strutting his stuff on a “dance floor” he has created among the forest’s leaf litter. Image: © Fauna & Flora.

     

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