title: Camera traps can be heard and seen by animals.
abstract: Camera traps are electrical instruments that emit sounds and light. In recent decades they have become a tool of choice in wildlife research and monitoring. The variability between camera trap models and the methods used are considerable, and little is known about how animals respond to camera trap emissions. It has been reported that some animals show a response to camera traps, and in research this is often undesirable so it is important to understand why the animals are disturbed. We conducted laboratory based investigations to test the audio and infrared optical outputs of 12 camera trap models. Camera traps were measured for audio outputs in an anechoic chamber; we also measured ultrasonic (n = 5) and infrared illumination outputs (n = 7) of a subset of the camera trap models. We then compared the perceptive hearing range (n = 21) and assessed the vision ranges (n = 3) of mammals species (where data existed) to determine if animals can see and hear camera traps. We report that camera traps produce sounds that are well within the perceptive range of most mammals' hearing and produce illumination that can be seen by many species.
authors.affiliation: Invasive Animals CRC, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia; Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, NSW Department Primary Industries, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia; School of Environmental and Rural Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Meek
authors.affiliation: Invasive Animals CRC, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia; Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, NSW Department Primary Industries, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia; School of Environmental and Rural Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Guy-Anthony
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Ballard
authors.affiliation: Invasive Animals CRC, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia; School of Environmental and Rural Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia; Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, NSW Department Primary Industries, Orange, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter J S
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental and Rural Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia; Marine and Atmospheric Research, CSIRO, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.affiliation: National Acoustic Laboratory, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Warwick
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Invasive Animals CRC, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia; School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Falzon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006309:Hearing; D008322:Mammals / Q000502:physiology*; D010781:Photography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014741:Video Recording / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014785:Vision, Ocular