Camera traps have been a key part of the conservation toolkit for decades. Remotely triggered video or still cameras allow researchers and managers to monitor cryptic species, survey populations, and support enforcement responses by documenting illegal activities. Increasingly, machine learning is being implemented to automate the processing of data generated by camera traps.
A recent study published showed that, despite being well-established and widely used tools in conservation, progress in the development of camera traps has plateaued since the emergence of the modern model in the mid-2000s, leaving users struggling with many of the same issues they faced a decade ago. That manufacturer ratings have not improved over time, despite technological advancements, demonstrates the need for a new generation of innovative conservation camera traps. Join this group and explore existing efforts, established needs, and what next-generation camera traps might look like - including the integration of AI for data processing through initiatives like Wildlife Insights and Wild Me.
Group Highlights:
Our past Tech Tutors seasons featured multiple episodes for experienced and new camera trappers. How Do I Repair My Camera Traps? featured WILDLABS members Laure Joanny, Alistair Stewart, and Rob Appleby and featured many troubleshooting and DIY resources for common issues.
For camera trap users looking to incorporate machine learning into the data analysis process, Sara Beery's How do I get started using machine learning for my camera traps? is an incredible resource discussing the user-friendly tool MegaDetector.
And for those who are new to camera trapping, Marcella Kelly's How do I choose the right camera trap(s) based on interests, goals, and species? will help you make important decisions based on factors like species, environment, power, durability, and more.
Finally, for an in-depth conversation on camera trap hardware and software, check out the Camera Traps Virtual Meetup featuring Sara Beery, Roland Kays, and Sam Seccombe.
And while you're here, be sure to stop by the camera trap community's collaborative troubleshooting data bank, where we're compiling common problems with the goal of creating a consistent place to exchange tips and tricks!
Header photo: ACEAA-Conservacion Amazonica
Pepperwood Preserve
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- @Biologyfan123
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I am an amateur biologist working as a volunteer for a project looking at the populations of North American river Otters in Utah.
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- @skcjones
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Australian National University (ANU)
I have a background in applied conservation with over fifteen years of experience in NGOs, government and academia. This experience has involved conducting research for ecological monitoring and species conservation.
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- @DustinVanOverbeke
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I am a researcher at a small liberal arts college in California, working in native bee species monitoring. One current project aims to prototype and test a pollinator camera trap and eventually create affordable, deployable traps that can be used by citizen scientists.
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Iranian wildlife conservationist Interested in Human dimensions of large mammals specifically carnivores.
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São Paulo State University (UNESP)
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World Wide Fund for Nature/ World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
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Wildlife conservationist currently working on biodiversity monitoring and community development for AFOLU VCS & CCB projects.
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- @bmacfarl
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A conservation photographer that utilizes remote cameras to capture wildlife behavior on east coast US rivers and streams
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I am PhD in Wildlife Ecology/Management from PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Pakistan. I have extensive field and lab experience with reptiles, birds, and mammals (10 years). My area of specializations are: wildlife conservation & management, small mammalian survey techniques.
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I work in sustainability and social impact in the tech sector, and study AI, Ethics & Society at Cambridge. For my dissertation, I am investigating the ethical and societal implications of wildlife conservation technologies.
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Description | Activity | Replies | Groups | Updated |
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Hi @emmahiggins , sounds like a great plan. Could you tell more about the content of the program, and perhaps the institutional context (which department(s) is(are)... |
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Build Your Own Data Logger Community, AI for Conservation, Autonomous Camera Traps for Insects, Biologging, Camera Traps, Citizen Science, Climate Change, Acoustics, Community Base, Connectivity, Conservation Dogs, Conservation Tech Training and Education, Data management and processing tools, Drones, Early Career, Earth Observation 101 Community, East Africa Community, eDNA & Genomics, Emerging Tech, Ending Wildlife Trafficking Online, Ethics of Conservation Tech, Footprint Identification Technique (FIT), Human-Wildlife Conflict, Marine Conservation, Open Source Solutions, Protected Area Management Tools, Remote Sensing & GIS, Sensors, Software and Mobile Apps, Sustainable Fishing Challenges, Wildlife Crime, Women in Conservation Tech Programme (WiCT) | 1 day 11 hours ago | |
Hi everyone! Have you ever experienced time drift in the old Bushnell NatureView Cam HD? If so, is there a way to fix it? The camera... |
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Camera Traps | 3 days 8 hours ago | |
Thank you for elaborating, @evebohnett ! And for the heads ups! |
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Camera Traps, Drones | 2 weeks 6 days ago | |
[oops, the same reply got submitted twice and there doesn't seem to be a "delete" button] |
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AI for Conservation, Camera Traps | 1 month ago | |
Hi @zhongqimiao ,Might you have faced such an issue while using mega detectorThe conflict is caused by:pytorchwildlife 1.0.2.13 depends on torch==1.10.1pytorchwildlife 1.0.2.12... |
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AI for Conservation, Camera Traps, Open Source Solutions | 1 month ago | |
Thanks, and that's a match! All these pictures are from a lab experiment and formated with AmphIdent. We took weekly belly pictures of several larvae. The aim of this google... |
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Camera Traps, Data management and processing tools, Software and Mobile Apps | 1 month ago | |
Hi, this is pretty interesting to me. I plan to fly a drone over wild areas and look for invasive species incursions. So feral hogs are especially bad, but in the Everglades there... |
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AI for Conservation, Camera Traps, Open Source Solutions, Software and Mobile Apps | 1 month ago | |
Hi everyone!@LashaO and @holmbergius from the Wild Me team at ConservationX Labs gave a superb talk at last month's Variety Hour,... |
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AI for Conservation, Camera Traps | 1 month 1 week ago | |
Can't beat Dan's list! I would just add that if you're interested in broader protected area management, platforms like EarthRanger and SMART are amazing, and can integrate... |
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Data management and processing tools, Camera Traps, Conservation Tech Training and Education | 1 month 1 week ago | |
Saul Greenberg is a great guy! He has made a few very useful videos regarding the Timelapse/Megadetector integration:https://grouplab.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/grouplab/uploads/... |
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Camera Traps | 1 month 1 week ago | |
EcoAssist is an application designed to streamline the work of ecologists dealing with camera trap images. It’s an AI platform that... |
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Software and Mobile Apps, AI for Conservation, Camera Traps | 1 month 3 weeks ago | |
Hi @Alasdair Great to hear from you! Thanks for the comment and for those very useful links (very interesting). And for letting @Rob_Appleby know. I can't wait to hear... |
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Emerging Tech, Camera Traps, Conservation Tech Training and Education | 1 month 4 weeks ago |