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Welcome to Smithsonian WILD! This site is designed to showcase some of the exciting research conducted by the Smithsonian Institution and its collaborators around the world, and to highlight the incredible diversity of wildlife that exists in a range of habitats across the globe.  The use of motion-triggered 'camera traps' has become an incredibly useful tool for scientists to answer an enormous range of conservation and ecological questions. Researchers attach these unique cameras to posts or trees, often along forest trails, and when a camera's sensor registers an animal's body heat and movement, a photograph is taken. The studies highlighted here demonstrate the range of applications of this method, and how these cameras give us a glimpse into an animal world that is rarely seen by anyone. You can search the site by following the trail of interesting animals or the lure of diverse sites around the world.

Fabien Cousteau is an aquanaut, just like his grandfather and father. But more than just exploring the oceans to unlock its mystery, Fabien dove the extra mile by launching his Plant A Fish organization. It aims to educate the youth about the importance of protecting our waters and as its name suggests, inspire them to do their share of creating a sustainable habitat for fishing. To honor his late grandfather's 100th birthday, he directs Mission 31. He and his research team will stay under the Florida Keys for 31 days to thoroughly study the current state of our waters. To read more about Fabien Cousteau visit www.thextraordinary.org.

Courtesy of Larry Ferlazzo on Twitter: National Geographic interactive Rain Forest.