Wildlife Cameras Research Articles

Watershed: a more efficient sampling unit for mountain camera traps.

Wildlife camera trap (CT) surveys typically employ two-dimensional equal-area grid sampling, which often neglects the influence of complex mountainous terrain on species distribution, potentially yielding misleading outcomes. A watershed, incorporating diverse habitats from high to low elevations and from rivers to ridges, aligns with complex mountains. Monitoring based on watersheds might address this. In southwest China's mountain forests, under comparable sampling intensities, we contrasted the capture rate (CR), species richness, and relative abundance index (RAI) of dominant species among watershed, 1 × 1km² grid, and elevation gradient patterns. Also, habitat factor correlations and heterogeneities were analyzed. Results reveal higher CR, species richness, and habitat heterogeneity in the watershed pattern. The elevation gradient pattern shows more stable species and RAI than the grid pattern. In small-scale mountains, topographic factors indirectly affect CT survey results via vegetation distribution. Analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) indicates significant differences in species and community among watersheds. Using watersheds as sampling units for CTs can match the mountains' elevation differences and complex topography well, aids in capturing wildlife diversity and understanding mountain species distribution. Therefore, we recommend that the spatial sample design in mountainous areas should be based on watersheds, taking elevation gradients and topography into consideration.

“Leaky Weirs” capture alluvial deposition and enhance seasonal mountain-front recharge in dryland streams

“Leaky weirs” are rock structures installed in dryland streams, which are anchored into exposed bedrock, loosely cemented, and designed to allow water to slowly pass through. They are being tested at a ranch in southeastern Arizona, USA, to restore and conserve the historic range and desert wetlands. Data are collected to assess how leaky weirs impact surface water, subsurface water, and groundwater recharge—including stream discharge, timing, and depth of infiltration, and groundwater elevations. Three adjacent watersheds, two with outlets just below leaky weirs and one with leaky weirs farther upstream, were instrumented with water-level loggers, wildlife cameras, and crest stage instruments with temperature sensors in the soil. As most groundwater recharge is assumed to be focused along the mountain fronts in this region, mountain-block recharge is also evaluated to differentiate between the two using isotope analyses. Finally, a single, late-season flood event is scrutinized to consider the leaky weir effect on all monitored components in the water budget. Results indicated groundwater flow is primarily from the mountains to the east via older, regional mountain-block recharge. However, the development of shallow alluvial aquifers is supported by the leaky weirs, that slow flows, capture permeable sediments, and allow infiltration, thus enhancing mountain-front recharge. In turn, these new pockets of water help support the restoration of historic wetlands. Sediment accumulates where leaky weirs are installed, reducing flashy peak flows, and resulting in a series of infiltration ponds along the channel that support vegetation during growing seasons and recharge the shallow aquifer during non-growing seasons.

Large-scale and long-term wildlife research and monitoring using camera traps: a continental synthesis.

Camera traps are widely used in wildlife research and monitoring, so it is imperative to understand their strengths, limitations, and potential for increasing impact. We investigated a decade of use of wildlife cameras (2012-2022) with a case study on Australian terrestrial vertebrates using a multifaceted approach. We (i) synthesised information from a literature review; (ii) conducted an online questionnaire of 132 professionals; (iii) hosted an in-person workshop of 28 leading experts representing academia, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and government; and (iv) mapped camera trap usage based on all sources. We predicted that the last decade would have shown: (i) exponentially increasing sampling effort, a continuation of camera usage trends up to 2012; (ii) analytics to have shifted from naive presence/absence and capture rates towards hierarchical modelling that accounts for imperfect detection, thereby improving the quality of outputs and inferences on occupancy, abundance, and density; and (iii) broader research scales in terms of multi-species, multi-site and multi-year studies. However, the results showed that the sampling effort has reached a plateau, with publication rates increasing only modestly. Users reported reaching a saturation point in terms of images that could be processed by humans and time for complex analyses and academic writing. There were strong taxonomic and geographic biases towards medium-large mammals (>500 g) in forests along Australia's southeastern coastlines, reflecting proximity to major cities. Regarding analytical choices, bias-prone indices still accounted for ~50% of outputs and this was consistent across user groups. Multi-species, multi-site and multiple-year studies were rare, largely driven by hesitancy around collaboration and data sharing. There is no widely used repository for wildlife camera images and the Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) is the dominant repository for sharing tabular occurrence records. However, the ALA is presence-only and thus is unsuitable for creating detection histories with absences, inhibiting hierarchical modelling. Workshop discussions identified a pressing need for collaboration to enhance the efficiency, quality and scale of research and management outcomes, leading to the proposal of a Wildlife Observatory of Australia (WildObs). To encourage data standards and sharing, WildObs should (i) promote a metadata collection app; (ii) create a tagged image repository to facilitate artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) computer vision research in this space; (iii) address the image identification bottleneck via the use of AI/ML-powered image-processing platforms; (iv) create data commons for detection histories that are suitable for hierarchical modelling; and (v) provide capacity building and tools for hierarchical modelling. Our review highlights that while Australia's investments in monitoring biodiversity with cameras position it to be a global leader in this context, realising that potential requires a paradigm shift towards best practices for collecting, curating, sharing and analysing 'Big Data'. Our findings and framework have broad applicability outside Australia to enhance camera usage to meet conservation and management objectives ranging from local to global scales. This review articulates a country/continental observatory approach that is also suitable for international collaborative wildlife research networks.

The continuing search for a better mouse trap: Two tests of a practical, low-cost camera trap for detecting and observing small mammals.

The advent of digital wildlife cameras has led to a dramatic increase in the use of camera traps for mammalian biodiversity surveys, ecological studies and occupancy analyses. For cryptic mammals such as mice and shrews, whose small sizes pose many challenges for unconstrained digital photography, use of camera traps remains relatively infrequent. Here we use a practical, low-cost small mammal camera platform (the "MouseCam") that is easy and inexpensive to fabricate and deploy and requires little maintenance beyond camera service. We tested the MouseCam in two applications: a study of small mammal species composition on two transects across a barrier island and a study of small mammal occupancy along a subtle elevation gradient in a mainland forest. The MouseCam was reasonably efficient, with over 78% of all images containing a recognizable small mammal (mouse, vole, rat or shrew). We obtained an accurate estimate of species composition on the island transects, as indicated by comparison with both concurrent and long-term trapping records for the same transects. MouseCams required a smaller expenditure of personnel and transportation resources than would be required for live trapping. They also detected subtle elevation-related differences in species occupancy in the mainland forest for the marsh rice rat, with the species occurring at lower elevations in the forest. This is consistent with the typical occurrence of the marsh rice rat in marshes and wetlands. We also tested devices (barriers, runways) designed to reduce disturbance by mesopredators (e.g., raccoons). Adding an internal barrier to the MouseCam did not reduce use by white-footed mice, whereas adding an external runway did. We believe specialized small mammal camera-based sensors may have wide applicability in field studies of small mammal distribution, abundance and biology.

Widespread resilience of animal species, functional diversity, and predator–prey networks to an unprecedented gigafire

Abstract Climate change is altering fire regimes globally, leading to an increased incidence of large and severe wildfires, including gigafires (>100,000 ha), that homogenise landscapes. Despite this, our understanding of how large, severe wildfires affect biodiversity at the landscape scale remains limited. We investigated the impact of a gigafire that occurred during the unprecedented 2019–20 Australian ‘Black Summer’ on terrestrial fauna. We selected 24 study landscapes, each 0.785 km2 in size, that represented a gradient in the extent of high severity fire, unburnt vegetation, and the diversity of fire severity classes (‘pyrodiversity’). We used wildlife cameras to survey biodiversity across each landscape and quantified species activity, community and functional diversity, and predator–prey network metrics. We used Bayesian mixed‐effects models to assess the influence of fire‐induced landscape properties on these measures. Most native species showed resilience to the 2019–20 wildfires, displaying few relationships with fire‐induced properties of landscapes, including the extent of high severity fire, unburnt vegetation, or pyrodiversity. Community and functional diversity and measures of predator–prey networks were also largely unaffected by fire‐induced landscape properties, although landscapes with a greater proportion of high severity fire had higher abundance and richness of introduced animal species. Synthesis and applications: Despite prevailing narratives of widespread ecological destruction following the 2019–20 wildfires, our findings suggest widespread resilience, potentially facilitated by evolutionary adaptations of animals to fire. Interventions aimed at helping such species recover may not be necessary and could instead focus on the subset of species that are vulnerable to severe fire. While mixed‐severity fires are often advocated to promote biodiversity through pyrodiversity, our results suggest that such management efforts might not be necessary in our study region. Given that severe fire favours introduced animal species, invasive species management could focus on large, severely burnt areas.

Relating Wildlife Camera Trap Data to Tick Abundance: Testing the Relationship in Different Habitats.

The increase in acarological risk of tick bites is significantly driven by profound changes in landscape, which alter the density and distribution of wildlife that support tick populations. As a result of habitat shifts and land abandonment, which create environments conducive to tick proliferation, the risk of disease transmission to humans and animals is increasing. In this context, it is important to explore tick ecology by applying a comprehensive methodology. In this study, we examined the relationship between wildlife temporal occupancy and tick abundance in two distinct regions: an alpine hunting district and a natural park in the Apennines. For each sampling point, we calculated wildlife temporal occupancy from camera trap pictures and estimated ticks' abundance from dragging transects in the area immediately surrounding camera traps. In modelling the relationship between those two variables, we included abiotic factors such as saturation deficit, normalized difference vegetation index, and altitude. Results show the importance of altitude and wildlife temporal occupancy (itself related to different habitat and land management characteristics) on the ecology of questing ticks. If employed in management decisions for natural environments, such information is useful to modulate the acarological risk and thus the risk of tick-borne pathogens' transmission.

Observations of Live Individuals and Predicted Suitable Habitat for Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) in Guangdong, China

Due to overexploitation and habitat loss, the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is in such extreme decline that it is so rare in the wild as to be considered functionally extinct, even in Guangdong, which was historically a major distribution area for the species. This study sought to verify whether functional extinction has occurred using observation records from field surveys, infrared wildlife cameras, rescue and enforcement cases and the published literature. The results indicated that suitable habitat occurred within 63.4% of the forested land in Guangdong, but only 17.6% of this area was deemed highly suitable, and 82.3% of all suitable habitat occurred outside of protected areas. Thus, the Chinese pangolin is not yet functionally extinct in Guangdong, but urgent conservation and restoration actions must be taken to ensure its persistence. Chinese pangolins in Guangdong Province are primarily distributed in the Lianhua Mountain and Nanling Mountains, with 91.6% belonging to a single population. From 1980 to 2020, the urban area increased by 776 km2, largely via conversion from agricultural land (48.6%). Suitable habitat for Chinese pangolins was reduced and became more fragmented over this time period, highlighting the urgent need for the establishment of protected areas, habitat restoration and cooperation with local residents.

Invasion in cold: weather effects on winter activity of an alien mesopredator at its northern range

Whether an invasive species thrives in cold ecosystems depends on its response to winter weather. A potential threat to these ecosystems in Europe is the invasive raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides). The survival of this mesopredator is supported in cold weather, because it can periodically use winter sleep, but its winter activity levels compared to native mesopredators remain unclear. We investigated the winter behaviour of raccoon dogs in Finland, near the edge of their invasion front, and compared their activity to native red foxes and badgers. Using wildlife cameras, we found that raccoon dogs do reduce activity during the coldest months, but camera observations did not strongly correlate with temperature perhaps due to feeding at camera sites. That is, artificial food sources may have increased raccoon dogs’ winter activity. Nevertheless, they responded more clearly to temperature drops than red foxes, but were more active than badgers that were mostly dormant and thus absent from our data. GPS-tracked raccoon dogs remained at some level active through winter, even near subarctic regions, but the cold and snowy weather clearly decreased activity and individuals stayed close to their nests during the coldest periods. Overall, these findings suggest that raccoon dogs can maintain some winter activity even in extremely cold environments, and they readily exploit human-provided resources. This potential ability to thrive in cold regions highlights the invasive potential of raccoon dogs. As winters become milder due to climate change, their numbers could increase significantly within cold-adapted ecosystems, impacting native species and posing conservation challenges.

Seasonal and Diel Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Activity and Burrow Use by Commensals in Coastal Beach Dune Habitat as Examined by Wildlife Cameras

Seasonal and Diel Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Activity and Burrow Use by Commensals in Coastal Beach Dune Habitat as Examined by Wildlife Cameras

Consequences of repeated sarcoptic mange outbreaks in an endangered mammal population

Diseases and parasites are important drivers of population dynamics in wild mammal populations. Small and endangered populations that overlap with larger, reservoir populations are particularly vulnerable to diseases and parasites, especially in ecosystems highly influenced by climate change. Sarcoptic mange, caused by a parasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei, constitutes a severe threat to many wildlife populations and is today considered a panzootic. The Scandinavian arctic fox Vulpes lagopus is endangered with a fragmented distribution and is threatened by e.g. red fox Vulpes vulpes expansion, prey scarcity and inbreeding depression. Moreover, one of the subpopulations in Scandinavia has suffered from repeated outbreaks of sarcoptic mange during the past decade, most likely spread by red foxes. This was first documented in 2013 and then again 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021. We used field inventories and wildlife cameras to follow the development of sarcoptic mange outbreaks in this arctic fox subpopulation with specific focus on disease transmission and consequences for reproductive output. In 2013–2014, we documented visual symptoms of sarcoptic mange in about 30% of the total population. Despite medical treatment, we demonstrate demographic consequences where the number of arctic fox litters plateaued and litter size was reduced after the introduction of S. scabiei. Furthermore, we found indications that mange likely was transmitted by a few arctic foxes travelling between several dens, i.e. ‘super‐spreaders'. This study highlights sarcoptic mange as a severe threat to small populations and can put the persistence of the entire Scandinavian arctic fox population at risk.

The Red God

The Red God is a short essay film featuring wildlife camera footage of foxes from my back yard in Belfast. In the film I explore the issue of belonging as a new arrival in Belfast, and question how I can express the care and guardianship that my Māori tūpuna (ancestors) showed their non-human cohabitants who were seen as relatives, tied to them through whakapapa (genealogy) and descended from the same atua (gods). In the research statement I outline how my creative practice is grounded in adoption theory, focused on belonging and informed by a decolonizing ethos.

Coyote use of prairie dog colonies is most frequent in areas used by American badgers.

The consequences of intraguild predation on vulnerable subordinate species are an important consideration in the recovery of endangered species. In prairie ecosystems, coyotes (Canis latrans) are the primary predator of endangered black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes; hereafter, ferrets) and presumably compete for prairie dog (Cynomys spp.) prey. Coyote predation of ferrets is thought to occur at night when ferrets are active aboveground; however, the apparent source of competition, diurnal prairie dogs, are belowground and inaccessible to coyotes at this time, presenting a perplexing temporal mismatch between actual and expected times that coyotes and ferrets come into conflict. Our study used remote wildlife cameras, occupancy models, and overlap of circadian activity patterns to investigate how landscape features, prairie dog colony attributes, and attraction to sympatric species, i.e., American badgers (Taxidea taxus; hereafter, badgers) and lagomorphs (cottontail rabbits and jackrabbits) influence Coyote use of prairie dog colonies and potential Coyote-ferret interactions. We first evaluated Coyote use (i.e., occupancy) between prairie dog colonies and surrounding available grasslands, finding that coyotes whose home ranges include prairie dog colonies used colonies nearly twice as much as surrounding grasslands. Next, we investigated biotic and abiotic factors that may influence Coyote use and frequency of use (i.e., detection probability) on prairie dog colonies. We found high Coyote use across all areas on prairie dog colonies; however, their frequency of use increased in areas that were also used by badgers. High overlap between Coyote and badger activity patterns (81%) further supports the spatial use patterns revealed by our occupancy analysis, and badgers and coyotes are known to form hunting associations. Interspecific competition and overlapping patterns of resource use between badgers and ferrets have been documented in previous studies; our study supports these findings and suggests that Coyote attraction to badger activity may influence Coyote-ferret interactions.

Neighborhood ethnicity is related to mammal occupancy and activity across a desert metropolitan area

AbstractCities support abundant human and wildlife populations that are shaped indirectly and directly by human decisions, often resulting in unequal access to environmental services and accessible open spaces. Urban land cover drives biodiversity patterns across metropolitan areas, but at smaller scales that matter to local residents, neighborhood socio‐cultural factors can influence the presence and abundance of wildlife. Neighborhood income is associated with plant and animal diversity in some cities, but the influence of other social variables is less well understood, especially across desert ecosystems. We explored wildlife distribution across gradients of neighborhood ethnicity in addition to income and landscape characteristics within residential areas of metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Utilizing data from 38 wildlife cameras deployed in public parks and undeveloped open spaces within or near suburban neighborhoods, we estimated occupancy and activity patterns of common mammal species, including species native to the Sonoran Desert (coyote [Canis latrans] and desert cottontail rabbit [Sylvilagus audubonii]), and non‐native domestic cat (Felis catus). Neighborhood ethnicity (percentage of Latino residents) appeared to exhibit a negative relationship with occupancy for coyotes and cottontail rabbits. Additionally, daily activity patterns of coyotes occurred later in the evenings and mornings in neighborhoods with higher proportions of Latino residents, but activity was unaffected by differences in neighborhood income. This study is one of the first to show that social‐ecological mechanisms associated with patterns of neighborhood ethnicity as well as income may help to shape wildlife distribution in cities. These findings have implications for equitable management and provisioning of ecosystem services for urban residents and highlight the importance of considering a range of social covariates to better understand biodiversity outcomes in urban and urbanizing areas.

Successful invasion: camera trap distance sampling reveals higher density for invasive raccoon dog compared to native mesopredators

Monitoring population parameters of invasive species gains importance as these species continue to expand all over the world. Monitoring of invasive mammalian mesopredators is, however, complicated due to their nocturnal and secretive behaviour. In the European Union, the most common invasive mesopredator is the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), which causes concerns for native species, such as endangered waterfowl that may be subject to nest predation. We studied the density of mesopredators in southern Finland with wildlife cameras, using methodology of distance sampling. We deployed in total of 175 camera traps around 11 (spring 2020) and 16 (spring 2021) lakes or wetlands. We inferred densities for raccoon dogs, and for native mesopredators the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the European badger (Meles meles) for comparison. Raccoon dogs were found to have higher overall as well as site-specific densities (about 3.7 ind./km2) than badgers (1.2 ind./km2) and red foxes (0.6 ind./km2). The raccoon dogs also were present at every study wetland, while badgers were not found at all sites. The red fox showed more diurnal activity compared to raccoon dogs and badgers. Camera trap distance sampling enabled us to provide a density estimates on a rather small spatial and temporal scale for species of similar size and movement speed. It could therefore prove valuable as a long-term monitoring option, as climate trends are likely to further enable raccoon dog expansion. Currently this invasive species appears to be the most common mesopredator around wetlands in the southern boreal zone of southern Finland.

How turtles keep their cool: Seasonal and diel basking patterns in a tropical turtle

Behavioural thermoregulation by ectotherms is an important mechanism for maintaining body temperatures to optimise physiological performance. Experimental studies suggest that nocturnal basking by Krefft's river turtles (Emydura macquarii krefftii) in the tropics may allow them to avoid high water temperatures, however, this hypothesis has yet to be tested in the field. In this study, we examined the influence of environmental temperature on seasonal and diel patterns of basking in E. m. krefftii in tropical north Queensland, Australia. Wildlife cameras were used to document turtle basking events for seven consecutive days and nights for each month over a year (April 2020–March 2021). Air and water temperatures were recorded simultaneously using temperature loggers. We used a negative binomial mixed effects model to compare mean basking durations (min) occurring among four environmental temperature categories based on population thermal preference (26 °C): 1) air temperature above and water temperature below preferred temperature; 2) air temperature below and water temperature above preferred temperature; 3) air and water temperatures both above preferred temperature; and 4) air and water temperatures both below preferred temperature. Basking behaviour was influenced significantly by the relationship between air and water temperature. During the day, turtles spent significantly less time basking when both air and water temperatures were above their preferred temperatures. Conversely, at night, turtles spent significantly more time basking when water temperatures were warm and air temperatures were cool relative to their preferred temperature. This study adds to the growing body of work indicating pronounced heat avoidance as a thermoregulatory strategy among tropical reptile populations.

Free‐ranging cattle and the return of the wolf: behavioral responses and implications for conservation management

Over the last decades, wolves have considerably expanded their distribution in Europe. Their range expansion even led to recolonizing densely human‐populated countries such as Belgium and the Netherlands. The few available studies on the effects of returning wolves in these landscapes focus primarily on the behavioral responses of wild ungulates, such as deer. While livestock in intensive farming practices can be protected against wolves, free‐ranging cattle in nature areas often have to protect themselves. How these cattle respond to the returned wolves is thus far unclear, yet highly relevant for conservation management. There is very little information about how free‐ranging cattle respond to the re‐appearance of wolves in terms of anti‐predator behavior and ability to defend themselves. In June 2022, a newly established wolf pair was located in a natural area in Drenthe. This natural area is grazed year‐round by free‐ranging Galloway cattle, a small and hornless primitive breed commonly used in conservation management. Here, we reported on the behavioral responses of the herd following two wolf attacks that occurred at nighttime in April 2023, the first caught on wildlife cameras in the Netherlands. During these events, the Galloways showed a clear behavioral response: they became active, restless and vigilant, and showed grouping behavior, presumably to protect the calves. Chasing behavior towards the attacking wolf was even exhibited by some individuals. The reported attacks did not result in killed or injured cattle. These two well‐documented wolf–cattle interactions show promising information as they highlight anti‐predator behaviors from an unexperienced cattle breed, all within a year of the wolves' return. We broadly discuss the relevance of these findings for grazing management, including selection for breeds, anti‐predator behaviors, and impact of herd structure and size, and we provide avenues for future research to address current knowledge gaps.

Evaluation of Rodent Hair Tubes for Activity Indices.

Activity indices are used to determine the presence and activity of small mammals, such as the hair index derived from the use of hair tubes. In contrast to trapping animals, hair tubes are non-invasive and less labor-intensive, and appear to be a suitable alternative in appropriate settings. We developed a method to calculate hair density semi-automatically. In addition, hair tube data were validated with field data using wildlife cameras for the small mammal community in grassland, wheat crops, and hedges to assess how well data from hair tubes match data from wildlife cameras. Adhesive tape with hair from hair tubes was processed and scanned. The resulting images were analyzed using a newly developed computer program that enables background and adhesive tape to be automatically distinguished from hair, providing a quantitative measure of hair density. Based on validation with wildlife cameras, hair tubes seem to be a suitable tool to estimate small mammal activity at the community level in several habitats. There was a moderate-to-strong positive correlation of the hair tube index with the sum of voles and Apodemus individuals (activity index) recorded in grasslands (Spearman's correlation coefficient 0.43), hedges (0.79), and wheat (0.44). The newly developed computer program allows the automatic calculation of hair density, making it easier to assess the activity of small mammals.

Human activities influence mule deer use of overpasses across multiple scales

AbstractAnthropogenic linear infrastructures (ALIs), including roads, railways, and canals, provide important resources to humans, but they can affect wildlife through habitat fragmentation and reduced movement through landscapes. To mitigate these effects, overpass crossing structures (i.e., overpasses) can facilitate wildlife movement across ALIs and maintain landscape connectivity. Human activities can potentially influence spatial and temporal patterns in wildlife use of overpasses; however, little information is available about human–wildlife interactions across some types of ALIs. Using remote wildlife cameras, we evaluated human and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) use and interactions at 43 overpasses along the Central Arizona Project canal in Arizona, USA, during 2 seasons (warm and cool) from February 2021 to February 2022. Mule deer exhibited spatial avoidance of human activities at overpasses, although the effect varied across seasons and types of human activity. At a broad scale, the presence of recreationists at overpasses did not exclude mule deer from using overpasses to cross the canal; however, human presence reduced mule deer detection probability in the warm season. At a fine scale, mule deer decreased use of overpasses as activity associated with canal personnel (i.e., security and maintenance workers) increased in the cool season. For both seasons, mule deer exhibited greater overlap in daily activity patterns with recreationists compared to canal personnel. Further, mule deer shifted daily activity patterns to be more active earlier in the morning at sites with high amounts of recreational use compared to sites with lower recreational use. Because human activities can influence mule deer crossings at overpasses, managers might consider minimizing human activities at crossing locations to increase wildlife use and promote wildlife movement across canals and other types of ALIs.

Dogs and foxes; filmmaking to wild the domestic and domesticate the wild

ABSTRACT In this co-written article creative practice researchers Christine Rogers (CR) and Liz Burke (LB) explicate their reasons for, processes, and outcomes of filming animals. Christine filmed the wild foxes who inhabited her Belfast garden. She set up a wildlife camera, gaining an up-close encounter with these shy strangers, and hoping through this, to create a sense of belonging for herself, a stranger to Northern Ireland. Liz filmed her two whippets, Agnes and then Zelda, to uncover the mysterious connections in the deep relationships between herself and her dogs. Both understand the ethical dilemmas of such filming and seek to make sense of this. Both adhere to Donna Haraway’s call to enter into a complex dance with the other. Christine cedes control of the shooting and with her decolonising ethos she explores the tricky idea of reciprocity. Liz chooses to cede control in the editing as she works with a complexity-generating programme Korsakow. For Christine, belonging is created, and it becomes clear that she must remain a stranger to the foxes, no matter her desire for an intimate connection. Her desire for reciprocity also remains unmet. For Liz, belonging is not so much created as revealed by the strength of the connection between herself and her dogs.

Weaving ways of knowing in practice: a collaborative approach to prioritizing community knowledge and values in wildlife camera monitoring with Magnetawan First Nation

There is not one singular way to weave together Indigenous and Western knowledges; creating meaningful cross-cultural collaborations requires a foundation of relationships rooted in the context of specific people and place. As interest in working across knowledge systems increases, our goal is to provide an example of respectful and appropriate cross-cultural collaboration within environmental practice. We demonstrate our collaborative, mixed-methods approach to developing a community-based wildlife monitoring program with Magnetawan First Nation that prioritizes community knowledge and values. Through community interviews and a youth sharing circle, participants highlighted values (respect, interconnection, reciprocity, collaboration, and relationship) as well as research priorities, providing examples of what each may look like in practice, to inform our monitoring approach. These examples, paired with reflections from the research team, are shared to explore the process of weaving together knowledge and values to co-create a community-based wildlife monitoring program, applying wildlife cameras as much more than simply a tool for data collection. This research provides tangible examples of weaving together knowledges and values in the context of environmental monitoring, helping guide future cross-cultural collaboration to ensure this work is being done in a good way.