A Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus), in the Andes, Ecuador (Image: Peter Oxford / Nature Picture Library / Rex)

Earthwatch researchers have found a really cool way to raise awareness of endangered species, encourage donations and attract tourists to the regions where these animals live to support conservation efforts.  They are posting the latest sightings of rare animals on Google Earth, that have been taken with cameras equipped with infrared triggers.  These cameras, called camera traps, sit in wait it forests and jungles and automatically take pictures of animals as they wander by.  Posting them on Google Earth helps researchers to share information and allows the rest of us a peek into the lives of some rare species, such as the spectacled bear, or “Paddington Bear”, of South America.

Visit the New Scientist Article.