Wildlife ACT monitors and wildlife volunteers set up and move camera traps in the field on a regular basis in order to find specific animals in certain areas. At Zululand Rhino Reserve (South Africa) we have a designated Carcass Camera. This camera trap is set up near a carcass (animal which has been killed either by a predator or natural causes) in the hope of photographing some of the more elusive species, such as brown hyena, spotted hyena and even bush pigs and black-backed jackals.[caption id="attachment_9065" align="aligncenter" width="2592"]
Bush pigs caught on the carcass camera trap[/caption][caption id="attachment_9068" align="aligncenter" width="637"]
Black-backed jackals caught on the carcass camera trap[/caption]Earlier this month a female lioness with her two sub-adult cubs made a blue wildebeest kill, next to the Wildlife ACT volunteer house driveway.
The following day, when the coast was clear of course, a camera was set up pointing towards the carcass and we walked away...[caption id="attachment_9069" align="aligncenter" width="631"]
Setting up the camera trap next to the carcass.[/caption]...excited to see what we would discover when we came to check the carcass camera in a few days. Little did we know that the lions, who apparently were not done with their meal, were not too impressed about being photographed whilst at the dinner table.[caption id="attachment_9070" align="aligncenter" width="564"]
Lions feeding on wildebeest kill[/caption]This series of carcass camera photographs depicts the events which unfolded.
Thankfully the carcass camera trap (although removed from the tree) wasn’t carried off too far and was unharmed!
Post and photos by: Zoë Luhdo
Camera traps can be used for numerous applications – whether it’s monitoring population sizes or to answer a specific research question. When used effectively, the information captured by camera traps can be invaluable – especially when coupled with other monitoring techniques. In Africa specifically, camera traps continue to be an important component of endangered species monitoring. Learn more about the technology used for monitoring endangered wildlife
