Last updated on January 25th, 2023 at 09:54 am
As indicated by the organization’s name, the North American Wood Ape Conservancy is ultimately concerned with the protection of the wood ape and its habitat. However, before that can happen, the species must be definitively documented and officially recognized. That is where the research aspects of the NAWAC come into play. Documentation efforts include following up on submitted wood ape sighting reports by interviewing witnesses and searching sighting locales for evidence. Witness observations can sometimes provide details regarding wood ape anatomical or behavioral characteristics. Some NAWAC researchers are actively seeking to collect a type specimen.
In addition, reliable sighting report location coordinates, taken as a whole, provide insights into species distribution patterns. Statistical analyses by experts at evaluating geospatial data, reveal a variety of statistically significant ecological preferences for the species. We believe that such studies will provide land managers with valuable data when the time comes to draft species recovery plans and/or state plans for conservation and management.
The Methodology page goes into more detail regarding research techniques and rationale.
“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.”
– Solomon
