Introduction

Abstract

Cameras (and in a more general sense photography) are a staple of modern society, and from an early age we have learned that these devices can document every aspect of our lives. From a societal perspective, the use of cameras in science has a long history in fields such as astronomy and medicine; amongst varied opinions, photography has been suggested as a demystifying force in nature (Marien 2002). It should come as no surprise then that advances in photography and cameras would inevitably find their way into the conservation arena, and over time, become a ­preferred tool for sampling animal populations. In recent years, the use of camera traps in the study of wild animals has undeniably improved our understanding of their ecological relationships and more recently, population dynamics. There are now literally hundreds of studies and surveys being conducted that involve camera traps, from urban parks to the most remote jungles. A search of the published literature in the Web of Science database recently pulled up 180 citations for “camera traps” over the past 5 years. In addition, the grey literature on this topic probably includes many more hundreds of contributions, especially when one considers the global interest in documenting biodiversity. Camera traps have been used to sample species ranging from the very common [e.g., white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus, raccoons Procyon lotor] to species that are rare, elusive, and often enigmatic [e.g., snow leopards Uncia uncia].