Camera Trap - Effects of Weather and The Environment

Effects of Weather and The Environment

Humidity has a highly negative effect on camera traps and can result in camera malfunction. This can be problematic since the malfunction is often not immediately discovered, so a large portion of research time can be lost. Often a researcher expecting the experiment to be complete will trek back to the site, only to discover far less data than expected – or even none at all.

There is also the possibility, if it is a motion activated camera, that any movement within the sensitivity range of the camera’s sensor will trigger a picture, so the camera might end up with numerous pictures of anything the wind moves, such as plants.

The best type of weather for it to work in is any place with low humidity and stable moderate temperatures.

As far as problems with camera traps, it cannot be overlooked that sometimes the subjects themselves negatively affect the research. One of the most common things is that animals unknowingly topple a camera or splatter it with mud or water ruining the film or lens.

One other method of animal tampering involves the animals themselves taking the cameras for their own uses. There are examples of some animals actually taking the cameras and snapping pictures of themselves.

An interesting side note is that locals in the area of a camera trap who sometimes use the same game trails as the animals to move through the forest can be caught on camera. This adds to the human dynamic of the research and can make camera’s a useful tool for anti-poaching or other law enforcement effort.