Mammal inventories in tropical forests are often difficult to carry out, and many elusive species are missed or only reported from interviews with local people. Camera traps offer a new tool for conducting inventories of large- and medium-sized terrestrial mammals. We evaluated the efficiency of camera traps based on data from two surveys carried out at a single site during 2 consecutive years. The survey efforts were 1440 and 2340 camera days, and 75 and 86% of the 28 large- and medium-sized terrestrial mammal species known to occur at the site were recorded. Capture frequencies for different species were highly correlated between the surveys, and the capture probability for animals that passed in front of the cameras decreased with decreasing size of the species. Camera spacing and total survey area had little influence on the number of species recorded, with survey effort being the main factor determining the number of recorded species. Using a model we demonstrated the exponential increase in survey effort required to record the most elusive species. We evaluated the performance of different species richness estimators on this dataset and found the Jackknife estimators generally to perform best. We give recommendations on how to increase efficiency of camera trap surveys exclusively targeted at species inventories.

https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1469-1795.2008.00169.x

An evaluation of camera traps for inventorying large‐ and medium‐sized terrestrial rainforest mammals

Neotropical Rainforest Mammals. A Field Guide, Louise H. Emmons. University of Chicago Press, Chicago (1990), xiv, Illustrations by François Feer, +281. Price $45·00 hardback, $19·95 paperback

Statistical Inference from Capture Data on Closed Animal Populations

Camera Traps in Animal Ecology

http://www.pantanalnature.com.br/uploads/downloads/About-Jaguars(2).pdf

Estimating the density of a jaguar population in the Brazilian Pantanal using camera-traps and capture–recapture sampling in combination with GPS radio-telemetry

Across their range jaguars Panthera onca are important conservation icons for several reasons: their important role in ecosystems as top carnivores, their cultural and economic value, and their potential conflicts with livestock. However, jaguars have historically been difficult to monitor. This paper outlines the first applica- tion of a systematic camera trapping methodology for abundance estimation of jaguars. The methodology was initially developed to estimate tiger abundance in India. We used a grid of camera traps deployed for 2 months, identified individual animals from their pelage patterns, and estimated population abundance using capture-recapture statistical models. We applied this methodology in a total of five study sites in the Mayan

/pdf/the-use-of-camera-traps-for-estimating-jaguar-panthera-onca-4i9mur79kd.pdf

The use of camera traps for estimating jaguar Panthera onca abundance and density using capture/recapture analysis

Camera trapping efforts at three adjacent sites in Madidi National Park and Natural Area of Integrated Management, Bolivia, revealed dry season activity periods for 15 species of Neotropical forest dwelling mammal. Nasua was strictly diurnal, Atelocynus, Dasyprocta, Pecari and Tayassu mostly diurnal, Eira, Hydrochaeris, Mazama, Panthera and Puma cathemeral, Leopardus, Procyon and Tapirus mostly nocturnal, and Cuniculus and Sylvilagus strictly nocturnal. In general, these results support previous natural history knowledge regarding these mammals in humid forests. The importance of considering activity periods when designing field survey and census methods is highlighted.

Dry season activity periods of some Amazonian mammals

Camera trapping techniques, in combination with robust mark-recapture statistics, have been used extensively in Asia to provide tiger population density est...

Camera trapping for jaguar (Panthera onca) in the Tuichi Valley, Bolivia

Lowland tapir distribution is described in northwestern Bolivia and southeastern Peru within the Greater Madidi-Tambopata Landscape, a priority Tapir Conservation Unit, using 1255 distribution points derived from camera trapping efforts, field research and interviews with park guards from 5 national protected areas and hunters from 19 local communities. A total of 392 independent camera trapping events from 14 camera trap surveys at 11 sites demonstrated the nocturnal and crepuscular activity patterns (86%) of the lowland tapir and provide 3 indices of relative abundance for spatial and temporal comparison. Capture rates for lowland tapirs were not significantly different between camera trapping stations placed on river beaches versus those placed in the forest. Lowland tapir capture rates were significantly higher in the national protected areas of the region versus indigenous territories and unprotected portions of the landscape. Capture rates through time suggested that lowland tapir populations are recovering within the Tuichi Valley, an area currently dedicated towards ecotourism activities, following the creation (1995) and subsequent implementation (1997) of the Madidi National Park in Bolivia. Based on our distributional data and published conservative estimates of population density, we calculated that this transboundary landscape holds an overall lowland tapir population of between 14 540 and 36 351 individuals, of which at least 24.3% are under protection from national and municipal parks. As such, the Greater Madidi-Tambopata Landscape should be considered a lowland tapir population stronghold and priority conservation efforts are discussed in order to maintain this population.

Lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris) distribution, activity patterns and relative abundance in the Greater Madidi-Tambopata Landscape.

During a biodiversity and abundance survey for medium and large size mammals in the lower basin of Tuichi river, in Madidi National Park and Natural Area of Integrated Management, we collected information in order to estimate the density of the Southern Amazon red squirrel (Sciurus spadiceus). The average density including both seasons was 12.2 individuals/km2. Densitity estimations do not exist for other areas of the protected area, however encounter rates demonstrate that squirrels are particularly abundant in Tuichi region. We also found a variation in abundance between seasons, probably related to the seed fruit availability.

/pdf/densidad-de-la-ardilla-roja-amazonica-familia-sciuridae-3letxk5480.pdf

Densidad de la ardilla roja amazónica (Familia Sciuridae, Sciurus spadiceus) en el valle del río Tuichi (Parque Nacional y Area Natural de Manejo Integrado Madidi, La Paz, Bolivia)

Guido Ayala

Papers

The use of camera traps for estimating jaguar Panthera onca abundance and density using capture/recapture analysis

Dry season activity periods of some Amazonian mammals

Camera trapping for jaguar (Panthera onca) in the Tuichi Valley, Bolivia

Lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris) distribution, activity patterns and relative abundance in the Greater Madidi-Tambopata Landscape.

Densidad de la ardilla roja amazónica (Familia Sciuridae, Sciurus spadiceus) en el valle del río Tuichi (Parque Nacional y Area Natural de Manejo Integrado Madidi, La Paz, Bolivia)