Become a Community Scientist
Have you ever wondered what wildlife is in your backyard or on your property? You and your family can monitor wildlife with remote trail cameras and directly participate in citizen science by providing us with the data to aid in wildlife research efforts!
What is a remote camera?
It is a camera that records images when triggered by motion, either as a still photograph or a video - It is a rugged and weatherproof device designed for extended and unmanned use outdoors. For scientists, it is a camera placed by a researcher or photographer to conduct non-invasive research and collect data that shows an animal’s behavior when humans are not present.
These cameras most often contain a light or heat motion sensor to trigger the camera to take a picture or video when something moves in front of the sensor on the camera. Remote cameras obtain footage that would likely not be possible with human presence.
View some remote camera photos in our photo galleries!
Picking a Camera
Pricing and Options
Remote cameras range from $70 to $700 per unit. Additional accessories include: SD memory card ($10-$50 each), ultimate lithium or NiMH rechargeable batteries, security enclosure (metal box to prevent theft), and a padlock and security cable. Depending on your security needs, you may not need all of these.
We Recommend the Following Brands:
- Bushnell
- Reconyx
- Moultrie
- Browning
Note on choosing your camera:
As with anything, you get what you pay for. The most important specifications to focus on are the following:
- Photo quality
- trigger speed
- battery life
We highly recommend either the Bushnell Trophy Cam models or the Reconyx models.
From the recommended models, below is a list of pros and cons for each camera:
Reconyx Models - Very fast trigger speed (0.2 seconds), great photo quality, very good battery life (up to 1 year on a set of lithium batteries), no video capability on most models (but utilizes Rapidfire technology)
Bushnell Trophy Cam Models - Fast trigger speed, good photo quality, good battery life
We are more than happy to work with you to help you purchase the camera and accessories you need from the best possible sources. Just let us know how we can be of assistance.
Field Team Setting Up a Remote Camera Station. Part of Argentina Puma Project.
How to Set Up Your Camera
You can contact us directly and Felidae staff will help you set-up your camera.
When your camera station is set-up, you can contact us. We will give you the instructions and provide you with the data sheets to record your data as a citizen scientist for wildlife research.
Wilde Backyard and Wilde Pod
We have two upcoming projects which will help everyone easily participate in community science.
Wilde Backyard
Wilde Backyard will allow residents, recreators and visitors to record wildlife sightings using their mobile devices. Collected data will be made available to researchers across conservation disciplines. This mobile app will collect wildlife images within urban edge communities, and process them using AI, to generate a rich dataset of urban wildlife.
Check out the project page for more information.
Wilde Pod
We have built a database repository for wildlife imagery collected on public, state, county, city and private lands. Our work is focused on conservation of wild felids but we collect images of all wildlife for use in research and land planning.
Do You Have 2-4 Hours A Month To Preserve Your Local Ecosystem?
Our volunteers are the driving force behind making true change in ecosystem health and wild cat conservation. Some like to volunteer in the field, others help us maintain our online presence, and some work with events. With just a few hours a month, you can make a difference, too.
Make A Difference Right Now
As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, our work is only possible because of generous donors like you.
More than 90% of your donation will go directly to our groundbreaking research, outreach, and education programs.
This is where true change starts. If you’d like to be a part of it, make a donation to Felidae Conservation Fund today:
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