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Photo courtesy of: Bióloga Verónica Andrea Quiroga
CONICET - Instituto de Ecología Regional (IER)
Camera Traps For Researchers
By: The TrailCamPro Staff
All over the world, Research Scientists are discovering camera traps as a way of enhancing their research projects. Putting camera traps in the middle of a desert, jungle, savannah, mountain, etc. will quickly help you create an "inventory" of the species in that particular ecosystem. Not only that, but you will be able to track and identify animals 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year in the most remote locations with very minimal maintenance and/or supervision.
Many researchers find camera traps greatly reduce the amount of "legwork" required to observe some of the most elusive species alive.
Snow Leopard - Mongolia
Courtesy of: Dr. Tom McCarthey
So what goes into knowing which camera trap is best for your project? There are many variables. One of the first questions we always ask is "What kind of situation will you be putting the camera trap in? Will it be over a game trail? A watering hole? A bait station?"
Knowing the answers to these basic questions helps to narrow down the options. For instance, if you are placing a camera trap on a bait station, you are already assuming the animal will eventually be at the bait. More than likely you will set the bait in the center of the picture. Presumably, the animal will be at the bait station for a extended amount of time and will be somewhat stationary during this time. For a situation such as this, a trail camera with a narrow detection zone and slow trigger speed is not a bad thing.
On the other hand, if you place a camera trap on a game trail - where animals will be moving somewhat briskly and will definitely NOT be stationary - you will need a camera trap that not only triggers quickly and has a wide detection zone, but also is able to take multiple pictures of that particular species as it walks by.
Here are a few links to help you understand the relationship between trigger speeds and detection zones:
Trigger Speeds
Detection Zone Test
Now, to put both detection zones and trigger speeds together, check out the 2009 Trail Camera Shootout
Another thing to consider would be the size of the camera trap. Some trail cameras can be 4-6 lbs (or more with batteries) and up to 10" tall x 6" wide. If you will be trekking off into the distance, you would only be able to carry 2-3 in a backpack at a time.
On the flip-side, some cameras are smaller than the size of your hand and may only weigh a few pounds! You could easily fit a dozen into a backpack!
Moultrie I60 vs. Bushnell Trophy Cam
Moultrie I60 vs. Bushnell Trophy Cam/Size Comparison
How do camera traps do in severe weather? Every camera trap that we carry and/or review is considered weatherproof. However, none of the cameras are waterproof. Waterproof means you could dunk a camera under water for a certain amount of time and it would be unaffected. Weatherproof means that under normal weather patterns (i.e. heavy tropical storms, snow, desert climates and etc.) it will continue to operate correctly.
One game camera to take note of is the Scoutguard SG550. The case on the SG550 is not sealed. The bottom cover does not have a rubber seal and in extreme high humidity areas, moisture could eventually damage the camera.
Most trail cameras will operate to about 0-10° F. Reconyx is the lone exception. Reconyx camera traps will operate at -40° F. I feel for the scientists that have to be in that weather!
What does a good camera trap cost? Great question! Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer. Most camera traps range anywhere from $100 - $650. There is an increasing number of quality trail cameras at the $200 range. If you want the highest quality possible, consider a Reconyx camera trap, they range from $450 - $650. There are a few camera traps, such as the Stealth Cam I590 ($97.95), that offer a real nice value at a lower price.
As an added bonus, we offer quantity discounts on orders of 5 or more cameras. If you ever have a question regarding pricing, shipping, availability or discounts, feel free to call us at 1-800-791-0660 - or email at info@trailcampro.com
Does Trailcampro ship internationally? We have shipped to just about every country out there (only a slight exaggeration), and we have an experienced international shipping manager that will help you find the most affordable and insured shipping method available.
Leopard eating an Eland - Kenya
Anthony Childs - Stealth Cam
Since we do ship internationally quite frequently, we have acquired several nice discounts from FedEx that we pass on to our customers. Feel free to call or email for a full international shipping quote!
Western Grey Kangaroo - Australia
Mick Davis/DEC - Moultrie I60
What about Manufacturer Warranties? Most Camera Trap companies offer a one year warranty against defect. Bushnell offers a two year warranty.
I would highly suggest visiting our Trail Camera Selection Guide page. It will take you through a step-by-step process of choosing the benefits that you need and matching it to the camera trap that is right for you.
In the meantime, here are some of the camera traps and accessories that researchers have had great success with.
 Price: $649.95
Reconyx RC60 HO (High Output)
The Reconyx RC60 HO camera trap is the best camera trap on the market. It does not get any better than this. This camera trap is completely covert, meaning no visible light is emitted at night. The night flash range extends out to 50 feet. The trigger time is 0.2 seconds and the RC60 HO recovers instantly. If an animal walks in front of this camera - you will not miss it! You will also get about 6-12 pictures of the animal as it walks by the camera trap.
One thing to note on the RC60 HO is that you MUST use NiMh rechargeable batteries or Lithium batteries for this camera to work. Like all Reconyx camera traps, this camera comes with a one year warranty from the manufacturer against defect.
Full Reconyx RC60 HO Review
 Price: $549.95
Reconyx RC55
The Reconyx RC55 Camera Trap is identical as the RM45 (see below) with the one exception that it takes color daytime pictures. The trigger time is 0.2 seconds and the detection width is identical the the field of view of the camera. The Recovery time of the RC55 (and all Reconyx Cameras is under 1 second). Click the link to watch a video describing the trigger time, recovery time, and detection width of the Reconxy Cameras.
Full Reconyx RC55 Review
 Price: $449.95
Reconyx RM45
The Reconyx RM45 camera trap has long been one of the most popular camera traps for researchers. Reconyx camera traps are by-far, the best trail cameras on the market. Not only do they have the quickest trigger and fastest recovery, but they can work down to -40°, their battery life can last up to 3 months, and they are the most dependable camera trap on the market. The Snow Leopard picture (above) was taken with a Reconyx RM45 in the Gobi desert of Mongolia.
All Reconyx cameras are made in Holmen, Wisconsin. They also back their product with a 1 year warranty against defect.
Full Reconyx RM45 Review
 Price: $199.95
Scoutguard SG550
The HCO Scoutguard SG550 camera trap was the hot camera of the year. It has revolutionized much of the trail camera world with its compact size (smaller than your hand), great battery life (3-5 months), and quality detection circuitry all for a very affordable price. These cameras use a remote, that plugs into the bottom of the camera, to program the settings.
The curved top of the Scoutguard makes it much harder to pick out than a "boxy" camera trap. This geometric form helps keep vandals and thieves from noticing it as well.
Durability was once a concern, but the Scoutguard folks have improved their quality control measures tremendously.
The one downside to this camera is that the bottom plate is not completely enclosed. In high humidity areas there is a possibility of, over time, moisture damaging the circuitry.
Full Scoutguard SG550 Review
 Price: $199.95
Bushnell Trophy Cam
This camera has actually not yet been sold to anyone, yet. I'm putting it here based purely on its potential.
The Bushnell Trophy Cam camera trap is very similar to the Scoutguard (see above) with a few added benefits. It is also a very compact camera, similar in stature to the Scoutguard. It does not use a remote, but instead the programming is all inside the camera. The number 1 benefit is that it is in a sealed case. Humidity will not have an affect on this camera.
The trigger time is 1.21 seconds, the detection width is the same as the field of view (aka - perfect), and it recovers in 7-11 seconds. The detection range is only 45 feet.
This could be the best camera in the $200 price range.
Full Bushnell Trophy Cam Review
 Price: $117.95
Stealth Cam I540IR
This is probably the best infrared game camera you can purchase for under $150. The night pictures have great depth and are very clear. It also has a wide detection zone that picks up game even before they are in the field of view of the camera. This can also work against it if an animal is just beyond what the field of view is and does not come further into the picture. You will have a couple "empty" pictures
Stealth Cam Camera Traps also have a pretty slow trigger speed. They generally trigger between 3-4 seconds. They also only get about 3 weeks on a set of batteries.
Full Stealth Cam I540IR Review
 Price: $97.95
Stealth Cam I590
This is an incandescent flash camera. Meaning, when the camera trap takes a picture at night there will be a "white flash." It is just like normal, hand-held digital cameras. The benefit to incandescent camera traps is they produce high quality color night photos and can sometimes help in the individualization of certain animals. The downside is they may spook the game. Regardless, for an inexpensive incandescent camera, this is the one to have. Costs under a hundred dollars, has a flash range of 90 feet (!!!), and has a wide detection zone.
Once again, slow trigger speed and poor battery life are the downsides to this game camera.
This game camera is perfect if you have a limited budget but need a ton of camera traps.
Full Stealth Cam I590 Review
Rechargeable Batteries
If your base camp has electricity, rechargeable batteries will save you time and money (let alone the environment). Rechargeable batteries will give your camera traps longer battery life, improved night pictures for a longer duration of time, and will save you from having to bring buckets of batteries into a country.
It is generally recommended that you bring two sets of rechargeable batteries per camera trap unit. This allows you to switch out batteries when you go to the camera trap site and keeps you from staying in that area too long.
Full Rechargeable Batteries Description and Recommendation Page
 Price: $2.95
Zorb-it Moisture Control
Putting a desiccant pack, like a Zorb-it, in a camera trap that is in a tropical high humidity area is a really good idea. They are inexpensive and could save you big bucks vs. losing a camera (s).
A Great Example
We have been lucky enough to work with many great organizations in many different fields of studies. One of these organizations is called Idea Wild. Idea Wild has aided over 1500 projects in 45 developing countries around the globe - and these numbers increase every year. Essentially, they find grants and other sources of money to help fund many, many different research projects.
Their whole goal is to help promote biodiversity around the globe. They were kind enough to share some amazing pictures and some great information from one of their research projects that I can pass on to you!
This particular project was headed by Biologist Verónica Quiroga. The project was located in the Chaco region of Argentina. The project was aimed at the Jaguar (Panthera onca), which is indigenous to this region. In Argentina, the Jaguar is considered endangered and their populations have gone down 85% (Click the link to read Verónica Quiroga's full 2008 Report).
Here are some pictures of the work team and their project -
Verónica Quiroga studying a GPS
The work team
Verónica studying game tracks
Leaf River Camera Trap
Base Camp
The great thing about Camera Traps is you never know what you are going to find!
Here are a few examples of their work -
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| Leopardus pardalis
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Puma concolor
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Myrmecophaga tridactyla
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Mazama Gouazoubyra
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| Myrmecophaga tridactyla
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Tolypeutes matacus
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