Camera angle and photographic identification of individual striped skunks
ABSTRACT We tested whether striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, could be recognized based on variation in pelage patterns and whether camera position influenced that outcome. We presented 11 volunteers with 2 sets of 24 photographs taken between 1 January and 15 February 20...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2017-03-01
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| Series: | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.743 |
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| author | Tad C. Theimer Dylan T. Ray David L. Bergman |
| author_facet | Tad C. Theimer Dylan T. Ray David L. Bergman |
| author_sort | Tad C. Theimer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT We tested whether striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, could be recognized based on variation in pelage patterns and whether camera position influenced that outcome. We presented 11 volunteers with 2 sets of 24 photographs taken between 1 January and 15 February 2015, one with animals photographed from the side, the other from above. Each set of 24 photographs included 9 pairs, with each pair representing 2 different images of the same animal. Volunteers scored twice as many correct matches and 4‐fold fewer false matches when photographs were taken from above. Regardless of camera position, the total number of unique skunks in each set was underestimated (83% of total from above, 75% from side), likely because some skunks had very similar pelage patterns. Our results indicate that variation in nose stripe, back stripe, dorsal and ventral tail pattern, and shape of tail can be used to recognize individual striped skunks but similarity in those characteristics among some individuals may cause total number of unique individuals to be underestimated regardless of camera orientation. © 2017 The Wildlife Society. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d812ecb19d7a415a956fe746d1c3ab41 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2328-5540 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2017-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
| spelling | doaj-art-d812ecb19d7a415a956fe746d1c3ab412025-08-20T02:49:15ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402017-03-0141114615010.1002/wsb.743Camera angle and photographic identification of individual striped skunksTad C. Theimer0Dylan T. Ray1David L. Bergman2Department of Biological SciencesNorthern Arizona UniversityBox 5640FlagstaffAZ86011‐5640USADepartment of Biological SciencesNorthern Arizona UniversityBox 5640FlagstaffAZ86011‐5640USAU.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services8836 N 23 Avenue, Suite 2PhoenixAZ85021USAABSTRACT We tested whether striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, could be recognized based on variation in pelage patterns and whether camera position influenced that outcome. We presented 11 volunteers with 2 sets of 24 photographs taken between 1 January and 15 February 2015, one with animals photographed from the side, the other from above. Each set of 24 photographs included 9 pairs, with each pair representing 2 different images of the same animal. Volunteers scored twice as many correct matches and 4‐fold fewer false matches when photographs were taken from above. Regardless of camera position, the total number of unique skunks in each set was underestimated (83% of total from above, 75% from side), likely because some skunks had very similar pelage patterns. Our results indicate that variation in nose stripe, back stripe, dorsal and ventral tail pattern, and shape of tail can be used to recognize individual striped skunks but similarity in those characteristics among some individuals may cause total number of unique individuals to be underestimated regardless of camera orientation. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.743camera trapindividual identificationMephitis mephitisstriped skunk |
| spellingShingle | Tad C. Theimer Dylan T. Ray David L. Bergman Camera angle and photographic identification of individual striped skunks Wildlife Society Bulletin camera trap individual identification Mephitis mephitis striped skunk |
| title | Camera angle and photographic identification of individual striped skunks |
| title_full | Camera angle and photographic identification of individual striped skunks |
| title_fullStr | Camera angle and photographic identification of individual striped skunks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Camera angle and photographic identification of individual striped skunks |
| title_short | Camera angle and photographic identification of individual striped skunks |
| title_sort | camera angle and photographic identification of individual striped skunks |
| topic | camera trap individual identification Mephitis mephitis striped skunk |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.743 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tadctheimer cameraangleandphotographicidentificationofindividualstripedskunks AT dylantray cameraangleandphotographicidentificationofindividualstripedskunks AT davidlbergman cameraangleandphotographicidentificationofindividualstripedskunks |