Exploring using Passive Acoustic Monitoring to confirm the distribution of Masked Finfoot

Project aims

One of the most threatened waterbirds in Asia, the Masked Finfoot is an elusive and poorly known waterbird, with detection of this species challenging and highly dependent on survey efforts. Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) has emerged as a valuable tool for wildlife monitoring, minimizing the impacts of observer disturbance during data collection.

The Masked Finfoot is known to be most vocally active during its breeding season, during which individuals produce high-pitched bubbling calls associated with courtship behaviour. Fieldwork under this project is therefore scheduled to fully coincide with this seasonal peak in vocal activity, maximizing the likelihood of detection through acoustic surveys.

The aim of this project is to investigate the use of PAM to confirm the persistence and current distribution of the Masked Finfoot in Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary, Preah Vihear Province, Cambodia, thereby guiding conservation management.

Results

Reports

AT A GLANCE

Organisation: Wildlife Conservation Society

Country: Cambodia

Year project started: 2025

Species: Masked Finfoot