When animals attack... trail cameras!

Are you using trail cameras to monitor wildlife but are unsure if animals can see them?

While most species do not react to trail cameras, a few are more sensitive to their presence and are more likely to react to them. In this article, we share some of our best trail camera clips of wildlife interacting with trail cameras, explore the question of whether wildlife can see trail cameras and outline the measures you can take to protect your equipment from curious critters.

Can wildlife see my trail cameras?

The use of trail cameras in wildlife monitoring has become increasingly popular, but many people wonder if animals can see the cameras and if they will cause any disturbance. While animals may initially notice camera traps, their responses vary depending on the species and their sensitivity to light and other senses. Low-glow and no-glow infrared LED flashes are commonly used in trail cameras to minimise disturbance during night-time footage, but studies suggest that some animals can still see the light emitted from these cameras. Other factors, such as the scent of humans and operational sounds that are imperceptible to people, can also attract animals to trail cameras.

Trail cameras are designed to be non-invasive, and animals will often become habituated to their presence over time. However, for studying or viewing particularly sensitive or elusive species, it is worth considering the use of a camera that has a no-glow infrared LED flash, wearing gloves when handling the camera, minimising disturbance to the site, and avoid checking the camera too frequently, which can cause disturbance to the area. Check out this article for a deeper dive into the factors that may cause wildlife to detect trail cameras.

A spectacled bear can't resist getting to grips with a trail camera at Rainforest Concern

Changing behaviours

Most species do not behave differently in front of camera traps even if they are aware of the camera’s presence, but knowing the likelihood of a species responding to a trail camera is an especially important consideration for researchers that require footage of animals behaving naturally. A good way to find out if a particular species may respond to a camera trap is through existing studies that have used trail cameras to study the species of interest. Choosing the most effective trail camera for research can be challenging, if you require guidance on this, see our guide for choosing the right trail camera for scientific research.

Smile! A spectacled bear at Rainforest Concern

How can I protect my trail camera from wildlife?

Although it’s uncommon for a species to interact with a trail camera and try to pull it from a tree, there are some curious culprits that can’t resist getting up close, as our video shows above. Some of the more common instances of wildlife meddling with a camera include cattle, elephants and bears. There are a few measures you can take to reduce the risk of damage or interference:

1. Secure your camera with a cable lock

A cable lock can help prevent camera theft by people but can also help avoid damage from wildlife by making it more difficult to move. The cable is fed through the camera's housing and secured to a tree or sturdy post. In the bear videos above, all cameras were secured with cable locks. Although the bears did a brilliant job of ruining the camera angle, the cameras stayed in one place and lived to see another day! Masterlock 8mm Python Cable Locks are a popular choice, fitting virtually any trail camera that has holes for a lock.

2. Use an additional protective case

Many trail cameras are designed to be weather-resistant and are built with sturdy housing, but an additional protective case can offer extra protection from wildlife. Look for cases made from durable materials that are designed to fit your camera model. For example, Browning Security Boxes are made of steel, offering an extra level of protection for Browning trail cameras. The image below is the result of a curious elephant - the camera inside the casing survived! Although this is not a perfect solution, it can certainly reduce the risk of a camera trap from being crushed by the big feet of an elephant or powerful jaws of a hyaena.

The camera survived the curious elephant, but the security case did not! - Musekese Conservation

3. Reduce human scent on the camera

Animals may be attracted to the scent of humans on the camera or in the area surrounding it. Using scent control products or wearing gloves to handle a camera can help reduce this scent and make a camera less attractive to species that have a sensitive sense of smell.

The video footage used in this article comes from Naturespy's project partners at:

• Bioterra, Croatia (curious brown bears)
• Musekese Conservation, Zambia (lions and wild dogs)
• Voyageurs Wolf Project, Minnesota, US (more bears!)
• Yorkshire Pine Marten Project, UK (a hungry fallow deer)