Camera traps have been a key part of the conservation toolkit for decades. Remotely triggered video or still cameras allow researchers and managers to monitor cryptic species, survey populations, and support enforcement responses by documenting illegal activities. Increasingly, machine learning is being implemented to automate the processing of data generated by camera traps.
A recent study published showed that, despite being well-established and widely used tools in conservation, progress in the development of camera traps has plateaued since the emergence of the modern model in the mid-2000s, leaving users struggling with many of the same issues they faced a decade ago. That manufacturer ratings have not improved over time, despite technological advancements, demonstrates the need for a new generation of innovative conservation camera traps. Join this group and explore existing efforts, established needs, and what next-generation camera traps might look like - including the integration of AI for data processing through initiatives like Wildlife Insights and Wild Me.
Group Highlights:
Our past Tech Tutors seasons featured multiple episodes for experienced and new camera trappers. How Do I Repair My Camera Traps? featured WILDLABS members Laure Joanny, Alistair Stewart, and Rob Appleby and featured many troubleshooting and DIY resources for common issues.
For camera trap users looking to incorporate machine learning into the data analysis process, Sara Beery's How do I get started using machine learning for my camera traps? is an incredible resource discussing the user-friendly tool MegaDetector.
And for those who are new to camera trapping, Marcella Kelly's How do I choose the right camera trap(s) based on interests, goals, and species? will help you make important decisions based on factors like species, environment, power, durability, and more.
Finally, for an in-depth conversation on camera trap hardware and software, check out the Camera Traps Virtual Meetup featuring Sara Beery, Roland Kays, and Sam Seccombe.
And while you're here, be sure to stop by the camera trap community's collaborative troubleshooting data bank, where we're compiling common problems with the goal of creating a consistent place to exchange tips and tricks!
Header photo: Stephanie O'Donnell
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National Geographic Society
Experience utilizing technology to inspire, educate, and create solutions to some of our biggest challenges. Currently, head of the National Geographic Society Exploration Technology Lab, overseeing the development and deployment of research and storytelling technologies.
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Article
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| Description | Activity | Replies | Groups | Updated |
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| Hi Ștefan! In my current case, I am trying to detect and count Arctic fox pups. Unfortunately, Arctic fox does not seem to be included in the training data of SpeciesNet but... |
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AI for Conservation, Camera Traps | 3 months 1 week ago | |
| Interesting. Thanks for the explanation. Nice to hear your passion showing through. |
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AI for Conservation, Camera Traps, Data management and processing tools, Open Source Solutions, Software Development | 3 months 2 weeks ago | |
| Weeks with continuous inference would require a pretty big battery. I expect you would need some kind of customisation and maybe quite a bit of compromise to last weeks and on a... |
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Camera Traps | 3 months 2 weeks ago | |
| 📸 Do you use camera traps in your work? Take part in our survey!Hi everyone! I’m currently a final-year engineering... |
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Camera Traps, AI for Conservation, Data management and processing tools, Open Source Solutions, Software Development | 3 months 2 weeks ago | |
| That's great! |
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Camera Traps | 3 months 3 weeks ago | |
| Yes, I know about this big limitation,As far as I know they are working to increase the coverage available for this solution.For trusted developers, there are more regions... |
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Connectivity, Camera Traps | 3 months 4 weeks ago | |
| Hi, just wanted to let whoever is interested that v.1.3 of DeepFaune is out! Deepfaune is a software that runs on any standard... |
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Camera Traps, AI for Conservation, Open Source Solutions | 3 months 4 weeks ago | |
| Hi there I am looking into the feasibility of a remote camera program in the Yukon Territory, Canada outside of cellular coverage with the... |
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Camera Traps | 4 months ago | |
| [Full disclosure: this question was also posted to the AI for Conservation Slack, and I'm copying and pasting my answer from there to here.]The first thing I would recommend is... |
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Camera Traps | 4 months ago | |
| Using some cheap WiFi router (brand Comfast) which has a USB port where I connected a USB SSD drive 1GB. I have flashed it with OpenWRT, rebuilt ffmpeg (as ffmpeg-custom) to... |
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Camera Traps | 4 months 2 weeks ago | |
| Hi @rcz133 thanks for the update it looks promissing! An external motion PIR as @EDsteve develloped could help reduce the power consumption related to the video pipeline, but so... |
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Camera Traps | 4 months 2 weeks ago | |
| Training remains somewhat more of a hassle than inference, but thanks to a WILDLABS grant, our friendly neighborhood machine learning folks at DrivenData are working to narrow... |
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Camera Traps | 4 months 2 weeks ago |
