Camera traps

A camera trap is not only the tool of a traffic-officer but also the tool of an ecologist interested in macrofauna.

The camera is an autonomous system which records either video or still images as movement is detected, e.g. when a deer or other larger animal walks by. Ideal for capturing images of shy animals, less so for quantifying total counts of a specific species.

It is a noninvasive form of recording the presence of an organism. It can be placed anywhere, although this depends on the purpose of placing the trap, do you want to know what animal frequents a path, or do you want to see if anyone goes into a den or cave? Or do you just want to see which animals are present in an area?

Since a camera trap tracks motion, places with constant motion such as a stream would be less suited for camera traps. In the cases where placing a camera in a stream or open water is necessary some use video with image-recognition software to assess what passes, this is a more costly method.