Thread by @cameratraps1

Have you ever thought about how we monitor #wildlife? In this thread🧵 I will explain my #PhDthesis

#CREAF20K #cameratraps #mammals #conservation

Traditional methods of studying wildlife were based on direct observation of animals🧐🔭.
However, the technological boom of recent decades has also changed the way of monitoring wildlife. Do you want to know how?
Keyword is #cameratrap 📸!!

#Cameratraps are remotely activated cameras by an infrared sensor. When an animal passes in front of them, they record photos. Cameras operate with batteries and SD cards, we can place them in remote areas. Finally, animals don't react to them and showed their habitual behaviour

Considering the high potential and a wide number of advantages, #cameratraps are widely used to monitor wildlife. The number of applications increases year by year, and cameras are used worldwide

Firstly, we tested 45 #cameratraps. The results showed that not all cameras work the same. Many factors affect the detection of the cameras, such as the period (🌞🌛), the species (🦊🦩), the brand, the height...
These results are very important for any #cameratrap experiment⚠️

Secondly, we explored the utility of cameratraps to monitor #movement parameters. For instance activity patterns (when animals are in movement), daily distance travelled, movement behaviours...
We worked in a simulated framework (GIF: two animals (🔴🔵), 25 cameras (⚪️)

... and we also sampled mammals (🦊🦌🐗🦡🦔🐿️) across Europe. In a wide range of environmental and management scenarios.

The results showed that #cameratraps are a reliable tool to monitor movement parameters✅. We also showed a spatial and seasonal variation in movement parameters. It means that movement parameters are population-specific

Thirdly, we were focused on the utility of #cameratraps to estimate population size (number of individuals in the population).
Especially when individual recognition of animals is not possible You know that the stripe pattern of a🦓 is unique, but not all species have patterns!

We assessed recent methods (namely REM, REST and CTDS)
Results showed that they are reliable, returning results on a par with those estimated with reference methods; and have the main advantage to estimate the population size of more than one species at the same time!✅

𝐈𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, the results obtained in this thesis reinforce the potential of #cameratraps in monitoring #wildlife, and provide new knowledge about movement and population size. Thus, new tools are provided for the #management and #conservation of #biodiversity

THANK YOU supervisors (@AcevedoPelayo @jvicentebanos at @IREC_CSIC_UCLM ), hosting researchers & institutions during the stays (@MarcusRowcliffe @ZSLScience @TimHofmeester @_SLU ), reviewers (@TiagoALOMarques @CarmeRosell @pabloferrerasda @antonio_uzal )... friends & family!!😊🥳