Camera traps at den sites

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Bob
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Camera traps at den sites

Post by Bob »

Has anyone, especially the researchers here ever used or considered placing camera traps at den openings? I suspect it would be a great help establish the number and species of snakes using it, information about when they come and go, how long they loiter awaiting proper conditions to disperse...all sorts of info. Not to mention get some cool video of natural behaviors.
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Gyri
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Gyri »

The problem you are likely to encounter is that most camera traps are set off by infrared movement and snakes are going to be too close to the ambient temperature to trigger the sensor. Some cameras can be rigged to take pictures at set intervals, say once every minute. Reconyx makes some cameras that can be programmed that way and I have had great success with those. They also, of course, take shots in response to infrared movement. Those camera traps are not only good for learning how many snakes enter/exit the dens each year but also for keeping tabs on how many people visit the sites as well. I have had decent success with them.
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azatrox
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by azatrox »

Here in Phoneix, there's a guy that was documenting desert tortoise activity in one of the washes in a local area and had set up cameras across from numerous tortoise burrows. From what I understand he got some great pics/footage of not just torts but other desert wildlife as well....

Of course, humans screwed it all up and idiots started stealing some of the cameras (they were discretely tied to nearby trees, etc.). He has since taken them all down so they didn't all get stolen.

-Kris
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Brandon D
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Brandon D »

Most den sites do have many access points, alot that are not visible as well, but some research in spring and fall could give you an Idea on the best places to place them, this wont work on all species the more secretive ones, but would be interesting.
Aaron Mills
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Aaron Mills »

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Brendan
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Brendan »

If you clicked on Aaron's link you'll see Melissa and Jeff have been doing this for a few years. At first I was a bit skeptical about it since they set them up at dens that Rich and I had been observing for years previous, thanks to a forum member I won't name. We were very concerned that it would alter animal behavior and ruin our chances to make the undisturbed observations we had been used to in the past. Fortunately it seems that the snakes are doing what they normally do for the most part with a few minor exceptions. The information that Melissa and co. and gaining, far outweighs the minor disturbance to the snakes, IMO. It will be interesting for us to track the long term effects over time to see if anything changes over the years.
The hard thing about this type of research is finding secure enough sites where equipment wont be stolen and or attract unwanted attention to dens. I've done a bit of it myself using the same cameras as Melissa and have seen some really cool behavior that I would normally rarely see. Battery life on the cameras is typically only a few days unless you get the solar panels which Melissa uses.
I know a few other people in various states that will set up cameras on time lapse mode and or set up video cameras at dens to achieve the same results. I think this method of study may become more and more popular over time once the scientific community catches on to all the amazing information which can be learned.
Please help support this type of research by donating to Melissa's work through the link Aaron provided.
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Bob
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Bob »


Brilliant stuff, exactly what I was thinking about. Cheers.
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Bob
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Bob »

John Vanek wrote:
Brendan wrote: I think this method of study may become more and more popular over time once the scientific community catches on to all the amazing information which can be learned.
The scientific community knows about camera trapping, it is done by hundreds of researchers every year on a myriad of different taxa. There are logistical issues, however, associated with it, such as cost and camera security. For example, I was working on a camera trap study in North Carolina, and rednecks kept stealing our cameras. One idiot even threw one in the canal, instead of stealing it.
It's obviously very useful as in the recent comprehensive tiger survey in India, but I had not heard of anyone using them on snakes.

Public land may not be the best area to leave the equipment.

Perhaps a camera trap aimed at the camera trap that triggers a charge of bear spray and bank note dye. :D
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Tonia Graves
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Tonia Graves »

I've set out game cameras for mammals and have had some success. Security is however a big problem. There are not always trees around the area you want to record at to lock your camera to, and they aren't exactly inexpensive! That being said, I'm always excited to go home and see what's on the memory card after retrieving the camera!
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Bob
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Bob »

Tonia Graves wrote:I've set out game cameras for mammals and have had some success. Security is however a big problem. There are not always trees around the area you want to record at to lock your camera to, and they aren't exactly inexpensive! That being said, I'm always excited to go home and see what's on the memory card after retrieving the camera!
Incidental picture captures from deer hunters trail cams have found all sorts of cool unknown thinks. Cougar populations in many states have been confirmed if not discovered by such happy accidents. Previously cougar sighting were always dismissed as escaped pets, but now both breeding populations and dispersal activity are being documented.
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Bob
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Bob »

Brendan wrote:If you clicked on Aaron's link you'll see Melissa and Jeff have been doing this for a few years. At first I was a bit skeptical about it since they set them up at dens that Rich and I had been observing for years previous, thanks to a forum member I won't name. We were very concerned that it would alter animal behavior and ruin our chances to make the undisturbed observations we had been used to in the past. Fortunately it seems that the snakes are doing what they normally do for the most part with a few minor exceptions. The information that Melissa and co. and gaining, far outweighs the minor disturbance to the snakes, IMO. It will be interesting for us to track the long term effects over time to see if anything changes over the years.
The hard thing about this type of research is finding secure enough sites where equipment wont be stolen and or attract unwanted attention to dens. I've done a bit of it myself using the same cameras as Melissa and have seen some really cool behavior that I would normally rarely see. Battery life on the cameras is typically only a few days unless you get the solar panels which Melissa uses.
I know a few other people in various states that will set up cameras on time lapse mode and or set up video cameras at dens to achieve the same results. I think this method of study may become more and more popular over time once the scientific community catches on to all the amazing information which can be learned.
Please help support this type of research by donating to Melissa's work through the link Aaron provided.
Brendan, I'm curious how does a camera create disturbance or alter behavior more than a human watching?
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klawnskale
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by klawnskale »

Image

This Spring while working on a camera trap project in the Western Mojave Desert to detect previously undocumented populations of Mohave Ground Squirrels, I learned what an effective tool cameras can be for scientific research on wildlife in situ. We set up baited camera trap station grids utilizing Reconyx game cameras. We also captured images of many non target species such as this Kit Fox pooping on the bait station in front of the camera. We used sweet feed to a attract squirrels, but it also attracted a myriad of other species like Kangaroo rats. The Foxes discovered the k-rats and we would occasionally get an exposure of one having caught one in front of the camera. The foxes would also defecate on the bait station as exemplified in this exposure to 'mark' it. Isn't it cute? We also would find visiting jackrabbits, ravens, owls, badgers, sheep, a vulture, a tortoise and coachwhip snake passing through that would set the camera off, stray domestic cats and dogs, a bob cat, and an occasional curious offroading human.
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Jeff Lemm
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Jeff Lemm »

Rulon Clark did some of the coolest work ever with cameras recording feeding strategies in timbers. Many other researchers are doing this now on crotes and other herps/animals
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Brendan
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Brendan »


Brendan, I'm curious how does a camera create disturbance or alter behavior more than a human watching?
Bob I don't think the cameras create any disturbance once they are set up and left alone. I was referring to the increased amount of human traffic in the prime areas where they are left. They require some amount of constant monitoring and that was what initially concerned me. I think that as time goes on and we being to understand movement patterns we can make any necessary equipment adjustments at times when the snakes are not active or likely to be bothered.

As you can see life goes on even with new furniture in the area.

Image
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Dell Despain
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Dell Despain »

Aaron Mills- Thanks for the link above, very cool site, I just made a donation to the project and I hope they reach their goal.

And the gentleman Jeff Lemm spoke of has a great site too. Very interesting, check it out.

-Dell
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Mike Pingleton
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Mike Pingleton »

I did the same! Interesting project for sure.
-Mike
Dell Despain wrote:Aaron Mills- Thanks for the link above, very cool site, I just made a donation to the project and I hope they reach their goal.

And the gentleman Jeff Lemm spoke of has a great site too. Very interesting, check it out.

-Dell
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Bob
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Bob »

Brendan wrote:

Brendan, I'm curious how does a camera create disturbance or alter behavior more than a human watching?
Bob I don't think the cameras create any disturbance once they are set up and left alone. I was referring to the increased amount of human traffic in the prime areas where they are left. They require some amount of constant monitoring and that was what initially concerned me. I think that as time goes on and we being to understand movement patterns we can make any necessary equipment adjustments at times when the snakes are not active or likely to be bothered.

Makes sense. I'm sure costs might be a little prohibitive but I'm sure a remote reading system could be rigged as well.
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klawnskale
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by klawnskale »

Bob: regarding camera costs. Sometimes websites such as Cabela's or other companies that deal with sport hunting equipment will have game cameras on sale. Not too long ago I saw Cabela's had a couple of game cams for sale at like 50-60% off. So instead of $120 they were about $60. The Reconyx ones are definitely cost prohibitive but there are other makes and models within affordable range. Here's one model that can do video clips as well as stills on sale:
http://www.huntcampandfish.com/3776_page_1000345.htm
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Bob
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Bob »

klawnskale wrote:Bob: regarding camera costs. Sometimes websites such as Cabela's or other companies that deal with sport hunting equipment will have game cameras on sale. Not too long ago I saw Cabela's had a couple of game cams for sale at like 50-60% off. So instead of $120 they were about $60. The Reconyx ones are definitely cost prohibitive but there are other makes and models within affordable range.
Oh no doubt. I was referring to added costs for cash strapped research programs to use a remote internet connection so concerns about disturbance when collecting the pics would not be an issue.
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klawnskale
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by klawnskale »

Oh no doubt. I was referring to added costs for cash strapped research programs to use a remote internet connection so concerns about disturbance when collecting the pics would not be an issue.[/quote]

Well, if you have a couple of dens on your property, then you could use a webcam with Wi-Fi. Otherwise, cameras need to be checked daily for battery life and to insure they are functioning properly and not vandalized. When the memory cards are at or near capacity you collect them for viewing on a computer with a reader.
cerberus
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by cerberus »

Hi - this is Melissa, with the cameras at rattlesnake dens and nests. Thank you Aaron for posting the link to my RH project and THANKS Dell & Mike for your support! Our cameras have captured some awesome behavior, but what we (and probably many of you) really want to investigate is the relatedness of the individuals in our videos. That analysis is expensive and snake behavior research is not popular with funding agencies (except the Chicago Herp Society - we love you!), so we're trying crowdfunding.

The cameras we use are being discontinued, but the company has a newer model which looks much better and just a little more expensive ($110): http://www.wingscapes.com/timelapse-cam ... elapsecam8 We are excited to try these out next year. The ones we have now can generally last for ~4 days when taking pics every 30 sec or a week at one-minute intervals. The new model will take more photos before needing to be reset (if you have a large enough memory card) and I think that battery life will be better too.

If anyone has specific questions about using these cameras, feel free to PM or email me. We have had a few issues and worked through most of it.
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Gyri
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Gyri »

As far as theft goes, if it's in the budget, it's always a good idea to have a better hidden camera focused on the first so then you can identify the person who took your gear ;)
stlouisdude
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by stlouisdude »

This is a little different (not den sites), but used to determine predation
http://www.mendeley.com/research/patter ... i-texas-1/#

Simillar
http://www.jstor.org/pss/4151224

Seems like remotely captured data has been used in analysis for some time.
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umop apisdn
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by umop apisdn »

Better than camera traps, I've got DVR equipment set up. The down sides: I was sold cameras that do not have IR lighting for night viewing and the DVR software itself exports to a proprietary video format that is low quality (even though live view is top notch), and when you convert to AVI, the AVI files don't work.
cerberus
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by cerberus »

umop apisdn wrote:Better than camera traps, I've got DVR equipment set up. The down sides: I was sold cameras that do not have IR lighting for night viewing and the DVR software itself exports to a proprietary video format that is low quality (even though live view is top notch), and when you convert to AVI, the AVI files don't work.
We tried that first - a setup similar to what Rulon Clark uses. We were pretty disappointed with the quality and the price (~$900 for a single camera/battery setup). Timelapse photos taken @30sec capture the behavior we're interested in (social interactions), cameras are waaay cheaper, require less frequent maintenance, and quality is good enough to ID individuals. But for other behavior, like hunting, video is required. I think the new wingscapes timelapse I linked does video too, but I can't recommend it until we've tried it. Ask me in May :)
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Eric East
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Eric East »

I like the idea. I have never tried it myself but, know a guy who put a camera at a remote atrox den here in Arkansas. He left it out for a couple of weeks but, didn't get anything. Obviously there are some issues to be worked out before it will be productive.
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Chris Smith
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Chris Smith »

MN DNR is using game cameras at dens sites for a few different species. I believe they are taking photos at a set time interval (not by motion). They have captured some really cool stuff doing so...

You might also be surprised by the things that will trip a camera... while herps are ectothermic, they often maintain a body temperature that is warmer than their surroundings depending on type of den site, aspect of den site, time of day, etc...

-Chris
mampam
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by mampam »

Gyri wrote:The problem you are likely to encounter is that most camera traps are set off by infrared movement and snakes are going to be too close to the ambient temperature to trigger the sensor. Some cameras can be rigged to take pictures at set intervals, say once every minute. Reconyx makes some cameras that can be programmed that way and I have had great success with those. They also, of course, take shots in response to infrared movement. Those camera traps are not only good for learning how many snakes enter/exit the dens each year but also for keeping tabs on how many people visit the sites as well. I have had decent success with them.
I expected this is to be big problem using PIR triggered camera traps. It is an issue but it probably varies according to the habitat and the species targeted. There actually doesn't have to be much of a difference between the animal's skin temp and the ambient temp, if (big if) the PIR is pointed in exactly the right place. The system I was looking at involved tree holes that were used very intermittently by lizards. It required cameras that could be left alone for weeks without running out of power in a very wet and humid environment. Time lapse wouldn't have worked here because it was often a month between visits and the animals tend not to hang around outside the entrance for long; there is a 10-15 second window to get the picture.
Flintdiver
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by Flintdiver »

Brendan you mentioned battery life. The reconyx cams I have work off AA lithium batteries and last for almost an entire year. The reconyx has a time lapse feature too, you can customize the settings very easily. They are pricey, with ebay being a good source. The "plotwatcher" on your tripod in the pic is notorius for eating batteries.
joeysgreen
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by joeysgreen »

In Waterton National Park in SW Alberta (Adjacent to Glacier Park in Montana) they use motion sensitive cameras to monitor the usage of under-road pipes placed to save long-toed salamanders from slaughter during a cross road migration. They've photographed long toes, tiger sal's, garters eating long toes, and small mammals.

This spring I have trail cameras set up at a local gartersnake den. The goal is to monitor predation and human interference on the den as opposed to the snakes as well.

Ian
cerberus
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Re: Camera traps at den sites

Post by cerberus »

Flintdiver wrote:Brendan you mentioned battery life. The reconyx cams I have work off AA lithium batteries and last for almost an entire year. The reconyx has a time lapse feature too, you can customize the settings very easily. They are pricey, with ebay being a good source. The "plotwatcher" on your tripod in the pic is notorius for eating batteries.
That camera is not is not a "plotwatcher." Its a Wingscapes Timelapse PlantCam and its battery life is pretty good, depending on what your settings are. It can take lithiums, but we use regular aa's with solar panels and rarely need to replace the aa's. The limitation with that camera (which they no longer make) is the number of photos it will record, usually not battery life.
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