Is camera trap videography suitable for assessing activity patterns in eastern grey kangaroos?
Jai M. Green-Barber A B and Julie M. Old A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Science and Health, Hawkesbury, Western Sydney University, Locked bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: j.greenbarber@westernsydney.edu.au
Pacific Conservation Biology 24(2) 134-141 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC17051
Submitted: 29 November 2017 Accepted: 5 February 2018 Published: 2 March 2018
Abstract
Camera traps are frequently used in wildlife research and may be a useful tool for monitoring behavioural patterns. The suitability of camera traps to monitor behaviour depends on the size, locomotion, and behaviour of the species being investigated. The suitability of cameras for documenting the behaviour of eastern grey kangaroos was assessed here by comparing activity patterns collected using cameras to published activity patterns for the species. The activity patterns calculated from camera trap data were largely consistent with data from previous studies, although nocturnal activity appeared to be under-represented. Observations of unusual fighting behaviour illustrates the potential for camera traps to enable capture of novel observations. Kangaroo behaviour appeared to be influenced by the presence of cameras; however, no kangaroos retreated from cameras. Data suggested that kangaroos became habituated to cameras after eight months. The findings of this study suggest that camera traps are suitable for assessing the diurnal activity of eastern grey kangaroos and are useful tools for documenting their behaviour.
Additional keywords: habituation, infrared-sensor, interactions, macropod, Macropus, marsupial
References
Adderton Herbert, C. (2004). Long-acting contraceptives: a new tool to manage overabundant kangaroo populations in nature reserves and urban areas. Australian Mammalogy 26, 67–74.Burton, A. C., Neilson, E., Moreira, D., Ladle, A., Steenweg, R., Fisher, J. T., Bayne, E., and Boutin, S. (2015). Wildlife camera trapping: a review and recommendations for linking surveys to ecological processes. Journal of Applied Ecology 52, 675–685.
| Wildlife camera trapping: a review and recommendations for linking surveys to ecological processes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Caravaggi, A., Banks, P. B., Burton, C. A., Finlay, C., Haswell, P. M., Hayward, M. W., Rowcliffe, M. J., and Wood, M. D. (2017). A review of camera trapping for conservation behaviour research. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation 3, 109–122.
| A review of camera trapping for conservation behaviour research.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Caughley, G. (1964). Social organization and daily activity of the red kangaroo and the grey kangaroo. Journal of Mammalogy 45, 429–436.
| Social organization and daily activity of the red kangaroo and the grey kangaroo.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Clarke, J., Jones, M., and Jarman, P. (1989). A day in the life of a kangaroo: activities and movements of eastern grey kangaroos Macropus giganteus at Wallaby Creek. In ‘Kangaroos, Wallabies and Rat-kangaroos’. (Eds G. Grigg, P. Jarman, and I. Hume.) pp. 611–618. (CSIRO: Melbourne.)
Clarke, J. L., Jones, M. E., and Jarman, P. J. (1995). Diurnal and nocturnal grouping and foraging behaviors of free-ranging eastern grey kangaroos. Australian Journal of Zoology 43, 519–529.
| Diurnal and nocturnal grouping and foraging behaviors of free-ranging eastern grey kangaroos.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Coulombe, M.-L., Massé, A., and Côté, S. D. (2006). Quantification and accuracy of activity data measured with VHF and GPS telemetry. Wildlife Society Bulletin 34, 81–92.
| Quantification and accuracy of activity data measured with VHF and GPS telemetry.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Coulson, G. (2009). Behavioural ecology of red and grey kangaroos: Caughley’s insights into individuals, associations and dispersion. Wildlife Research 36, 57–69.
| Behavioural ecology of red and grey kangaroos: Caughley’s insights into individuals, associations and dispersion.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Coulson, G., MacFarlane, A. M., Parsons, S. E., and Cutter, J. (2006). Evolution of sexual segregation in mammalian herbivores: kangaroos as marsupial models. Australian Journal of Zoology 54, 217–224.
| Evolution of sexual segregation in mammalian herbivores: kangaroos as marsupial models.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Descovich, K., Tribe, A., McDonald, I. J., and Phillips, C. J. (2016). The eastern grey kangaroo: current management and future directions. Wildlife Research 43, 576–589.
Green-Barber, J., and Old, J. (2018a). Town roo, country roo: a comparison of behavior in eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) in urban and pristine habitats. Urban Ecosystems , .
Green-Barber, J., and Old, J. (2018b). The genetic relatedness of an urban population of eastern grey kangaroos. BMC Research Notes , .
Green-Barber, J., and Old, J. (2018c). What influences road mortality rates of eastern grey kangaroos in a semi-rural area? Transportation Research Part D, Transport and Environment , .
Green-Barber, J., Stannard, H., and Old, J. (2018). A suspected case of myopathy in a free-ranging eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus). Australian Mammalogy 40, 122–126.
| A suspected case of myopathy in a free-ranging eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jarman, P. (1987). Group size and activity in eastern grey kangaroos. Animal Behaviour 35, 1044–1050.
| Group size and activity in eastern grey kangaroos.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jarman, P., and Southwell, C. (1986). Grouping, associations, and reproductive strategies in eastern grey kangaroos. In ‘Ecological Aspects of Social Evolution’. (Eds R. Wrangham, and D. Rubenstein.) pp. 399–428. (Princeton University Press: Princeton, NJ.)
Jones, A. S., Lamont, B. B., Fairbanks, M. M., and Rafferty, C. M. (2003). Kangaroos avoid eating seedlings with or near others with volatile essential oils. Journal of Chemical Ecology 29, 2621–2635.
| Kangaroos avoid eating seedlings with or near others with volatile essential oils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXpvVSiu70%3D&md5=1c865f85ec7b907912bdce2e4ba5ed17CAS |
Kaufmann, J. H. (1974). Social ethology of the whiptail wallaby, Macropus parryi, in northeastern New South Wales. Animal Behaviour 22, 281–369.
| Social ethology of the whiptail wallaby, Macropus parryi, in northeastern New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Larrucea, E. S., Brussard, P. F., Jaeger, M. M., and Barrett, R. H. (2007). Cameras, coyotes, and the assumption of equal detectability. Journal of Wildlife Management 71, 1682–1689.
| Cameras, coyotes, and the assumption of equal detectability.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Meek, P. D., Ballard, G.-A., Fleming, P. J., Schaefer, M., Williams, W., and Falzon, G. (2014). Camera traps can be heard and seen by animals. PLoS One 9, e110832.
| Camera traps can be heard and seen by animals.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Meek, P. D., Ballard, G.-A., and Fleming, P. J. (2015a). The pitfalls of wildlife camera trapping as a survey tool in Australia. Australian Mammalogy 37, 13–22.
| The pitfalls of wildlife camera trapping as a survey tool in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Meek, P. D., Ballard, G.-A., Vernes, K., and Fleming, P. J. (2015b). The history of wildlife camera trapping as a survey tool in Australia. Australian Mammalogy 37, 1–12.
| The history of wildlife camera trapping as a survey tool in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Meek, P., Ballard, G., Fleming, P., and Falzon, G. (2016). Are we getting the full picture? Animal responses to camera traps and implications for predator studies. Ecology and Evolution 6, 3216–3225.
| Are we getting the full picture? Animal responses to camera traps and implications for predator studies.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Neave, H., and Tanton, M. (1989). The effects of grazing by kangaroos and rabbits on the vegetation and the habitat of other fauna in the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Australian Capital Territory. Wildlife Research 16, 337–351.
| The effects of grazing by kangaroos and rabbits on the vegetation and the habitat of other fauna in the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Australian Capital Territory.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Newey, S., Davidson, P., Nazir, S., Fairhurst, G., Verdicchio, F., Irvine, R. J., and van der Wal, R. (2015). Limitations of recreational camera traps for wildlife management and conservation research: a practitioner’s perspective. Ambio 44, 624–635.
| Limitations of recreational camera traps for wildlife management and conservation research: a practitioner’s perspective.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Newsome, A. (1966). The influence of food on breeding in the red kangaroo in central Australia. CSIRO Wildlife Research 11, 187–196.
| The influence of food on breeding in the red kangaroo in central Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Old, J., Hunter, N., and Wolfenden, J. (2018). Who utilises bare-nosed wombat burrows? Australian Zoologist , .
Rowcliffe, J., Carbone, C., Jansen, P. A., Kays, R., and Kranstauber, B. (2011). Quantifying the sensitivity of camera traps: an adapted distance sampling approach. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 2, 464–476.
| Quantifying the sensitivity of camera traps: an adapted distance sampling approach.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rowcliffe, J. M., Kays, R., Kranstauber, B., Carbone, C., and Jansen, P. A. (2014). Quantifying levels of animal activity using camera trap data. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 5, 1170–1179.
| Quantifying levels of animal activity using camera trap data.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Schipper, J. (2007). Camera-trap avoidance by kinkajous Potos flavus: rethinking the “non-invasive” paradigm. Small Carnivore Conservation 36, 38–41.
Séquin, E. S., Jaeger, M. M., Brussard, P. F., and Barrett, R. H. (2003). Wariness of coyotes to camera traps relative to social status and territory boundaries. Canadian Journal of Zoology 81, 2015–2025.
| Wariness of coyotes to camera traps relative to social status and territory boundaries.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Southwell, C. J. (1984). Variability in grouping in the eastern grey kangaroo, Macropus giganteus. I. Group density and group size. Wildlife Research 11, 423–435.
| Variability in grouping in the eastern grey kangaroo, Macropus giganteus. I. Group density and group size.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Southwell, C. (1987). Activity pattern of the eastern grey kangaroo, Macropus giganteus. Mammalia 51, 211–224.
| Activity pattern of the eastern grey kangaroo, Macropus giganteus.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Trolliet, F., Huynen, M.-C., Vermeulen, C., and Hambuckers, A. (2014). Use of camera traps for wildlife studies. A review. Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Société et Environnement 18, 446–454.
Webb, C. (2001). Macropod browsing damage: impacts in Namadgi National Park and techniques for its control. B.Sc.(Honours) thesis, Australian National University, Canberra.
Wegge, P., Pokheral, C. P., and Jnawali, S. R. (2004). Effects of trapping effort and trap shyness on estimates of tiger abundance from camera trap studies. Animal Conservation 7, 251–256.
| Effects of trapping effort and trap shyness on estimates of tiger abundance from camera trap studies.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Welbourne, D. J., Claridge, A. W., Paull, D. J., and Lambert, A. (2016). How do passive infrared triggered camera traps operate and why does it matter? Breaking down common misconceptions. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation 2, 77–83.
| How do passive infrared triggered camera traps operate and why does it matter? Breaking down common misconceptions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wheat, R. E., and Wilmers, C. C. (2016). Habituation reverses fear‐based ecological effects in brown bears (Ursus arctos). Ecosphere 7, e01408.
| Habituation reverses fear‐based ecological effects in brown bears (Ursus arctos).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
