Set AHDriFT: Applying game cameras to drift fences for surveying herpetofauna and small mammals

ABSTRACT The use of game cameras by wildlife biologists and managers to survey wildlife, particularly medium‐ and large‐bodied mammals, has increased dramatically. Previous attempts to survey small mammals and ectotherms have had limited detection success or were focused solely on a single species....

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Main Authors: Scott A. Martin, Rhett M. Rautsaw, Frank Robb, M. Rebecca Bolt, Christopher L. Parkinson, Richard A. Seigel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2017-12-01
Series:Wildlife Society Bulletin
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.805
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author Scott A. Martin
Rhett M. Rautsaw
Frank Robb
M. Rebecca Bolt
Christopher L. Parkinson
Richard A. Seigel
author_facet Scott A. Martin
Rhett M. Rautsaw
Frank Robb
M. Rebecca Bolt
Christopher L. Parkinson
Richard A. Seigel
author_sort Scott A. Martin
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT The use of game cameras by wildlife biologists and managers to survey wildlife, particularly medium‐ and large‐bodied mammals, has increased dramatically. Previous attempts to survey small mammals and ectotherms have had limited detection success or were focused solely on a single species. We describe the Adapted‐Hunt Drift Fence Technique (AHDriFT), which combines commercially available game cameras and traditional drift fences to survey reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals. Across 4,502 trap‐nights at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, USA (Jun 2014 to Jun 2015), we recorded images for 2,523 unique vertebrate detections (2% unidentifiable) averaging 0.56 unique triggers/night. Using AHDriFT enables long‐duration surveys with high detectability while minimizing observer time. Guide‐boards increased terrestrial vertebrate image capture at minimal cost. During 1 year of usage, no mortality was documented using this camera‐trap system and field time was reduced by 95%, requiring only monthly visits of approximately 3 hr for 9 fence arrays to download images from the camera systems, compared with pitfall or funnel traps that require at least daily monitoring. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.
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series Wildlife Society Bulletin
spelling doaj-art-91291eb4599b4834a9e831fceb8eb0aa2024-12-16T13:00:45ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402017-12-0141480480910.1002/wsb.805Set AHDriFT: Applying game cameras to drift fences for surveying herpetofauna and small mammalsScott A. Martin0Rhett M. Rautsaw1Frank Robb2M. Rebecca Bolt3Christopher L. Parkinson4Richard A. Seigel5Department of Biological SciencesTowson University8000 York RoadTowsonMD21252USADepartment of BiologyUniversity of Central Florida4000 Central Florida BoulevardOrlandoFL32816USABiomedical ScienceEastern Florida State College1311US HWY 1, TitusvilleFL32796USAIntegrated Mission Support ServicesMail Code IMSS‐200Kennedy Space CenterFL32899USADepartment of BiologyUniversity of Central Florida4000 Central Florida BoulevardOrlandoFL32816USADepartment of Biological SciencesTowson University8000 York RoadTowsonMD21252USAABSTRACT The use of game cameras by wildlife biologists and managers to survey wildlife, particularly medium‐ and large‐bodied mammals, has increased dramatically. Previous attempts to survey small mammals and ectotherms have had limited detection success or were focused solely on a single species. We describe the Adapted‐Hunt Drift Fence Technique (AHDriFT), which combines commercially available game cameras and traditional drift fences to survey reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals. Across 4,502 trap‐nights at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, USA (Jun 2014 to Jun 2015), we recorded images for 2,523 unique vertebrate detections (2% unidentifiable) averaging 0.56 unique triggers/night. Using AHDriFT enables long‐duration surveys with high detectability while minimizing observer time. Guide‐boards increased terrestrial vertebrate image capture at minimal cost. During 1 year of usage, no mortality was documented using this camera‐trap system and field time was reduced by 95%, requiring only monthly visits of approximately 3 hr for 9 fence arrays to download images from the camera systems, compared with pitfall or funnel traps that require at least daily monitoring. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.805amphibianscommunity surveydrift fenceFloridagame camerareptiles
spellingShingle Scott A. Martin
Rhett M. Rautsaw
Frank Robb
M. Rebecca Bolt
Christopher L. Parkinson
Richard A. Seigel
Set AHDriFT: Applying game cameras to drift fences for surveying herpetofauna and small mammals
Wildlife Society Bulletin
amphibians
community survey
drift fence
Florida
game camera
reptiles
title Set AHDriFT: Applying game cameras to drift fences for surveying herpetofauna and small mammals
title_full Set AHDriFT: Applying game cameras to drift fences for surveying herpetofauna and small mammals
title_fullStr Set AHDriFT: Applying game cameras to drift fences for surveying herpetofauna and small mammals
title_full_unstemmed Set AHDriFT: Applying game cameras to drift fences for surveying herpetofauna and small mammals
title_short Set AHDriFT: Applying game cameras to drift fences for surveying herpetofauna and small mammals
title_sort set ahdrift applying game cameras to drift fences for surveying herpetofauna and small mammals
topic amphibians
community survey
drift fence
Florida
game camera
reptiles
url https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.805
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