Human interference with wildlife surveys: a case study from camera-trapping road underpasses in Costa Rica
Camera traps are widely used to study wildlife. However, theft and vandalism are frequent, resulting in millions of dollars in financial losses and large data gaps in research. Here we report on the impacts of camera-trap theft on a study examining wildlife movement under highway bridges in south-we...
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| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Oryx |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0030605324000097/type/journal_article |
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| author | Eleanor Flatt Hilary Brumberg Marco Hidalgo Andrew Whitworth |
| author_facet | Eleanor Flatt Hilary Brumberg Marco Hidalgo Andrew Whitworth |
| author_sort | Eleanor Flatt |
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| description | Camera traps are widely used to study wildlife. However, theft and vandalism are frequent, resulting in millions of dollars in financial losses and large data gaps in research. Here we report on the impacts of camera-trap theft on a study examining wildlife movement under highway bridges in south-west Costa Rica. Even with metal cases, locks and signs installed on all camera traps, 65% were stolen. The working camera traps accumulated a total of 167 trap-nights and detected only two wild mammal species, eight bird species and one reptile species, as well as three domestic animal species and people. This limited number of wild species was unexpected given the known presence of wide-ranging megafauna and a diverse terrestrial mammal community in the region. The pervasive theft of camera traps leads to data gaps and impairs the potential for research in the region, and we discuss the potential additional reasons for detecting only a small number of species. Our findings highlight the need for solutions to camera-trap theft, to limit financial and data losses for conservation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ff4fcbf484fc487294dbdbff441c3f43 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0030-6053 1365-3008 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Oryx |
| spelling | doaj-art-ff4fcbf484fc487294dbdbff441c3f432025-08-20T02:13:19ZengCambridge University PressOryx0030-60531365-30082024-11-015880280510.1017/S0030605324000097Human interference with wildlife surveys: a case study from camera-trapping road underpasses in Costa RicaEleanor Flatt0https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1118-886XHilary Brumberg1Marco Hidalgo2Andrew Whitworth3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6197-996XOsa Conservation, Puntarenas, Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica Deanery of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UKOsa Conservation, Puntarenas, Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica Department of Environmental Studies, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USAOsa Conservation, Puntarenas, Puerto Jimenez, Costa RicaOsa Conservation, Puntarenas, Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK Department of Biology, Center for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USACamera traps are widely used to study wildlife. However, theft and vandalism are frequent, resulting in millions of dollars in financial losses and large data gaps in research. Here we report on the impacts of camera-trap theft on a study examining wildlife movement under highway bridges in south-west Costa Rica. Even with metal cases, locks and signs installed on all camera traps, 65% were stolen. The working camera traps accumulated a total of 167 trap-nights and detected only two wild mammal species, eight bird species and one reptile species, as well as three domestic animal species and people. This limited number of wild species was unexpected given the known presence of wide-ranging megafauna and a diverse terrestrial mammal community in the region. The pervasive theft of camera traps leads to data gaps and impairs the potential for research in the region, and we discuss the potential additional reasons for detecting only a small number of species. Our findings highlight the need for solutions to camera-trap theft, to limit financial and data losses for conservation.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0030605324000097/type/journal_articleCamera theftcamera trappingCosta Ricadata gapshuman disturbanceroadswildlife surveyswildlife underpasses |
| spellingShingle | Eleanor Flatt Hilary Brumberg Marco Hidalgo Andrew Whitworth Human interference with wildlife surveys: a case study from camera-trapping road underpasses in Costa Rica Oryx Camera theft camera trapping Costa Rica data gaps human disturbance roads wildlife surveys wildlife underpasses |
| title | Human interference with wildlife surveys: a case study from camera-trapping road underpasses in Costa Rica |
| title_full | Human interference with wildlife surveys: a case study from camera-trapping road underpasses in Costa Rica |
| title_fullStr | Human interference with wildlife surveys: a case study from camera-trapping road underpasses in Costa Rica |
| title_full_unstemmed | Human interference with wildlife surveys: a case study from camera-trapping road underpasses in Costa Rica |
| title_short | Human interference with wildlife surveys: a case study from camera-trapping road underpasses in Costa Rica |
| title_sort | human interference with wildlife surveys a case study from camera trapping road underpasses in costa rica |
| topic | Camera theft camera trapping Costa Rica data gaps human disturbance roads wildlife surveys wildlife underpasses |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0030605324000097/type/journal_article |
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