Remote site monitoring of predator activity.

Dr Jonathan Reynolds - Game Conservency Trust

Fox
At the Game Conservancy Trust, we work on predatory mammal species that - almost by definition - occur at low density relative to their prey, are smart, and are wary of larger predators like man. They are also nocturnal. One of our research tactics has been to attract these animals into contrived experimental situations in front of an automatic video camera, triggered by wireless PIR (passive infra-red) sensors. The camera system has to be weatherproof, easy to conceal, independent of a mains power supply, silent, and use infra-red illumination which is invisible to the animals.
Tracksys supplied a remote site filming system to us in 1999 at a very competitive price and giving us excellent lighting and battery management, as well as incorporating the latest camera and VCR technology. The system has been very reliable and with a typical working distance of 10-15 metres it has given us some ideal footage.