Chimp & See Talk

Up to no good?

  • lauraklynn by lauraklynn moderator

    Are these poachers? Harmless locals (with a gun)? I don't know enough about the study site to know if it is in a protected area. Their clothing does not suggest they are rangers and it seems kind of raggedy for researchers.

    Footage continues in videos ACP000m42, ACP0000m43, ACP0000m44, and ACP0000m45

    Posted

  • MimiA by MimiA scientist, moderator

    41, 43 and 45 - I am not sure

    42 and 44 is definitely our field team 😃

    even if it was a protected area, there are poachers in all of them that come to mind...

    the forest is pretty harsh on clothes and make them have a pretty unique, not really nice, smell, so no one really tries to look nice in the forest, and you tend to wear clothes until they fall to pieces.

    Posted

  • lauraklynn by lauraklynn moderator

    I hope I didn't come across as too judgmental. I'm sure the rainforest eats your clothes pretty fast. The gun just surprised me a bit and then the guy's reaction to the camera made me wonder if he was unfamiliar with the research. I guess the gun could have a fairly innocent presence. Perhaps for protection, what with the potential for leopard encounters.

    Posted

  • MimiA by MimiA scientist, moderator

    When our field teams go our with armed guards the guns are for anti-poaching purposes only, not for protection against animals. I suspect (but I am not sure) that 41.43.45 may be a poacher. And no worries, not judgey at all 😃

    Posted

  • DataDroid by DataDroid moderator

    And what about this group? ACP0003ynm

    Posted

  • MimiA by MimiA scientist, moderator

    very hard to tell 😕

    Posted