Research Archive

A comparison of horizontal versus vertical camera placement to detect feral cats and mustelids

Research Archive

A comparison of horizontal versus vertical camera placement to detect feral cats and mustelids

Nichols, M. ; Glen, A. S. ; Garvey, P. ; Ross, James G.
Type: Journal Article
Permalink: https://hdl.handle.net/10182/8569
Originally published: 2017-01-01 by New Zealand Ecological Society and available at https://doi.org/10.20417/nzjecol.41.11
Rights: © New Zealand Ecological Society
Keywords: camera trapping; feral ferret; invasive species; Mustella spp.; stoat; Ecology
Fields of Research: 050103 Invasive Species Ecology; 0602 Ecology

Abstract:

© New Zealand Ecological Society. Invasive predators are a threat to biodiversity in New Zealand. However, they are often difficult to monitor because of the animals’ cryptic, mobile behaviour and low densities. Camera traps are increasingly being used to monitor wildlife, but until recently have been used mainly for large species. We aimed to determine the optimal camera alignment (horizontal or vertical) for detecting feral cats (Felis catus) and mustelids (Mustela furo, M. erminea and M. nivalis). We deployed 20 pairs of cameras, each pair with one horizontal and one vertical camera. We compared the number of photos of target species, non-target species, and false triggers (i.e. camera triggered with no animal present) between camera orientations. Horizontally oriented cameras captured approximately 1.5 times as many images of the target species compared with vertically oriented cameras, and also detected more non-target animals. Orientation did not have a significant effect on the number of false triggers.

Show full item record

Files in this item

[PDF]
Name: NicholsGlenGarvey ...
Size: 1.408Mb
Format: PDF
Description: Published PDF version - embargoed until 2019-09-30

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Search Research Archive


Browse

My Account

Statistics