nanoboy
Well-Known Member
Have you ever had a camera stolen? Have you ever recorded anything incriminating or disturbing, like poachers on the move or an animal eating another animal?
Camera Trap Footage
Have you ever had a camera stolen? Have you ever recorded anything incriminating or disturbing, like poachers on the move or an animal eating another animal?
Hey Nanoboy,
I recently had a camera stolen whilst working in Canada frustratingly. I had set it up on various trails for about 5 months moving it around with no problems. I then put it on a more popular use trail and someone saw it unfortunately. I will now be buying security boxes with my camera as you need some heavy duty kit to get into them. The most annoying thing was that I had been aiming to capture some grizzly bear footage and when I went to retrieve the camera there were grizzly tracks going straight past where the camera had been.
Having mentioned it, to put it into perspective the project I was working on had 45 cameras in total with security boxes and none of them were stolen. I think some people tried to fiddle with a couple with no luck. Most people saw them and waved though.
I have never recorded anything incriminating with my cameras. We did capture some pics of wolves carrying a carcass away at one point.
I recently read some articles about how biologists are using camera traps to catch poachers though. I'll attach a couple of the articles at the bottom.
Hope you find them interesting!
Wildlife Extra News - Camera traps deployed to catch tiger poachers in Russia
Panthera Camera Trap Catches Poachers | Panthera
Latest news, sport and comment from the Guardian | The Guardian
Brilliant thread steefo. Fantastic footage of extremely rarely seen species and great links from desert rhino (esp sumatra). Lots of these animals I have hardly seen decent photos of before let alone video. I will follow this thread with great interest.
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Thanks dublinlion,
They are great for capturing footage of some of the more elusive creatures.
Here's my latest video that I've made. It's of a large bull moose. Not as elusive as some of the other creatures but pretty impressive stature all the same.
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nanoboy
Well-Known Member
Cheers for the reply, and cheers for the interesting links.
That's surprising that you lost a camera in a developed country. I expected that to be more common in developing countries.
You should post the pics/video with the wolves some time.
It is quite common that they are stolen here. The bloke I bought mine off makes quite a few and out of the around 100 he has sold about 25 have been stolen. Some of these were very well secured as well and the thiefs have had to cut the tree down with a chainsaw to get them off.
nanoboy
Well-Known Member
Oh yeah? What do they do with it? Use it themselves or sell it or jus vandalise it? How much do these go for dollar wise?
Quite a few have been taken on private property. People get photographed in places they should not be, so come back with whatever they need to remove the camera. There was even a spate of thefts in a national park in Victoria. It was found that NP staff had been removing them as they thought that the cameras should not be put in NP's. I never heard if they got their cameras back as there are no laws against putting cameras in NP's.
They vary in price from $200 to $600 and the homebrew cameras I have are around $500.
They vary in price from $200 to $600 and the homebrew cameras I have are around $500.
The other issue is that in the developed countries they tend to know the value of the cameras. Unfortunately it's the equivalent on putting £200 on a tree and securing it with a padlock.
Also where I had mine stolen in Canada there was a lot of hunter access (nothing against hunters) but they would know the value of the camera and its just temptation I suppose. I've now just purchased a new camera and will be getting a security box with it so I can bolt it into a tree and put a python lock around it as well for added security. Hopefully I'll have better luck this time.
Also where I had mine stolen in Canada there was a lot of hunter access (nothing against hunters) but they would know the value of the camera and its just temptation I suppose. I've now just purchased a new camera and will be getting a security box with it so I can bolt it into a tree and put a python lock around it as well for added security. Hopefully I'll have better luck this time.
Would it not be easy enough to disguise the camera like in the tv programs "log cam" and "rock cam" etc. I'm sure it would be easy enough to have a realistic fibreglass model made up to suit.
When I was working in Canada with 45 odd cameras we did put a sign up saying it was for a grizzly bear project and had contact details and I think that did help. However, unfortunately all you need is one person with enough determination.
We had one person arrive at a camera. Try and get into the security box then head back. He then returned an hour later with a knife to cut into the python (bike lock) lock. Still no luck. Returned an hour later with a hand axe. Still no luck, but he gave us some lovely mug shots of himself to amuse us!
I think with the security boxes you really need some serious equipment i.e bolt cutters which puts people off.
I'd like to trust people but having been on the end of having one stolen I am now willing to spend an extra £30 to secure it properly.
You can disguise them but the price increases. I try and hide them as well as possible and believe that unless you're looking for them the chances of them being seen are very slim. We've had hundreds of people walk past cameras in the past without noticing them so they are well camouflaged. Unfortunately it just takes one person with enough determination to see it.
The bloke I bought mine off does camo a few now. He uses liquid nails to give a bark texture to match the trees and then does a matching paint job. The python lock which secures them are often the giveaway. It is hard to cover the strait black line of the cable around the tree. Sticking some bark and branches under the cable so they cover it can help.
Well, I finally decided to invest in a camera trap myself and left it out over a weekend in the field behind my garden. Managed to get literally dozens of shots of rabbits along with several pheasants and red foxes, and single shots of grey squirrel, red-legged partridge, Reeve's muntjac deer, domestic cat and a Eurasian badger. The latter was particularly exciting, considering I never knew they got so close to our property. I might upload the footage to Youtube, when I have time.
In the meantime, I know of an area where muntjac graze frequently and will be trying there later today and am also planning on where to set camera traps that will capture the otters and stoats that I know to be in the area. Wish me luck
In the meantime, I know of an area where muntjac graze frequently and will be trying there later today and am also planning on where to set camera traps that will capture the otters and stoats that I know to be in the area. Wish me luck
Well, I finally decided to invest in a camera trap myself and left it out over a weekend in the field behind my garden. Managed to get literally dozens of shots of rabbits along with several pheasants and red foxes, and single shots of grey squirrel, red-legged partridge, Reeve's muntjac deer, domestic cat and a Eurasian badger. The latter was particularly exciting, considering I never knew they got so close to our property. I might upload the footage to Youtube, when I have time.
In the meantime, I know of an area where muntjac graze frequently and will be trying there later today and am also planning on where to set camera traps that will capture the otters and stoats that I know to be in the area. Wish me luck
Wow sounds like you've got a great spot near your house. Looking forward to seeing the footage. Good luck with the otters and weasels, I'll wait with anticipation!
nanoboy
Well-Known Member
As will I. I hope your camera does not get stolen!
I saw two alley cats and a tawny frogmouth in my backyard recently, but a camera trap might only record ghosts and prowlers, which would freak me out.
Has anyone's camera trap recorded ghosts?
Thanks for the messages! Just brought the camera trap back in today- lots of shots of a female muntjac grazing and the badger repeatedly interfering with the camera. As for the stoats and otters, I might have to wait until I get some security equipment (I really cannot afford to lose my camera).
Besides the fact that ghosts don't exist
p) I did get some shots of mist being blown about in the breeze- that generated quite a double-take.
Besides the fact that ghosts don't exist
p) I did get some shots of mist being blown about in the breeze- that generated quite a double-take.
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