From the amazon rainforest to your screen! Camera traps, these days, are essential tools in the study of wildlife. These devices allow us to have records of the animals that roam the area we want to study without directly interfering or disturbing a wild area, since many times animals can hide from human presence; many animals are very difficult to record with the naked eye, and you would have to “live” in the jungle to observe them. The traditional methods such as track traps or searching for tracks only allowed us to know the presence of an animal, but not the number of individuals, besides being very limited to climatic conditions and the time you can spend in a place to make the records.
Throughout the world there are different examples of animals recorded by camera traps in which it would be almost impossible to know their presence without the use of this method; a clear example is the bush dog (Speothos venaticus).
Camera traps operate using motion and heat sensors that detect the presence of animals. When an animal enters the detection field of the sensor, the camera is activated and captures a series of images or videos. The configuration will depend on your study objective, as you can choose only images, only video or in some models you can choose both. These images can be stored on memory cards and, in the case of SIM card camera traps, transmitted in real time by mail or to an app, although these models only work well where there is mobile signal.
AmazonCam Project developed at Refugio Amazonas lodge
Camera traps can be configured to capture images at specific intervals, adjust the sensitivity of the sensors, and switch between daytime, nighttime, or can operate all day, much depends on the model and the needs of the research project.
Gabriel Serrano setting camera trap by Carlos Gonzales
Aracely Meza setting camera trap with guest at Refugio Amazonas by Carlos Gonzales
In the Amazon rainforest of Tambopata, thanks to our AmazonCam project at Refugio Amazonas, very interesting records are made of animals in different scenes such as pumas, jaguars or ocelots. Other animals of which little is known is the bush dog and the short-eared dog, both are very elusive and difficult to find with the naked eye, but with camera traps we could have an idea of their population and not only of their presence, sometimes we can see certain interactions between animals that we have no idea that they can interact.
Looking for places in the forest where we could have animal records is one of my favorite activities, every time the cameras are collected and we start to see the recorded images is like opening a surprise gift, you never know what you will get.
Puma after hunting - AmazonCam Project
By Gabriel Serrano - Rainforest Expeditions Field Biologist
