Abstract
The widespread availability of relatively cheap, reliable and easy to use digital camera traps has led to their extensive use for wildlife research, monitoring and public outreach. Users of these units are, however, often frustrated by the limited options for controlling camera functions, the generation of large numbers of images, and the lack of flexibility to suit different research environments and questions. We describe the development of a user-customisable open source camera trap platform named ‘WiseEye’, designed to provide flexible camera trap technology for wildlife researchers. The novel platform is based on a Raspberry Pi single-board computer and compatible peripherals that allow the user to control its functions and performance. We introduce the concept of confirmatory sensing, in which the Passive Infrared triggering is confirmed through other modalities (i.e. radar, pixel change) to reduce the occurrence of false positives images. This concept, together with user-definable metadata, aided identification of spurious images and greatly reduced post-collection processing time. When tested against a commercial camera trap, WiseEye was found to reduce the incidence of false positive images and false negatives across a range of test conditions. WiseEye represents a step-change in camera trap functionality, greatly increasing the value of this technology for wildlife research and conservation management.
Highlights
Digital technology has a profound effect on environmental monitoring, ecology and conservation [1]
Examination of the video footage showed that all false positives recorded by WiseEye occurred when a bird was present within the passive infra-red (PIR) detection zone, but outside field of view for the camera (Fig 3)
The WiseEye radar sensor only detected 4 of the 132 PIR detections and had limited utility
Summary
Digital technology has a profound effect on environmental monitoring, ecology and conservation [1]. This is nowhere better illustrated than in the rapid and widespread uptake of digital camera traps in wildlife research and management [2,3,4]. Camera traps are remote devices that automatically record images or video (hereafter we use ‘images’ to refer to both still images and video) of animals passing in front of them. Camera trapping in assessing diversity of mammals in Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve, Lebanon. Tan CL, Yang Y, Niu K (2013) Into the night: camera traps reveal nocturnal activity in a presumptive diurnal primate.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
