A Novel Use of Camera Traps to Study Demography and Life History in Wild Animals: A Case Study of Spider Monkeys (Ateles belzebuth)

Galvis, Nelson; Link, Andrés; Fiore, Anthony Di

doi:10.1007/s10764-014-9791-3

Cited by 21 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…In addition, animal transfers between groups can currently only be estimated with an accuracy that ranges from just a few days up to years [5,57,6]. Automatic monitoring with camera traps in the wider geographical area surrounding Mbeli Bai could help to improve the accuracy of the socio-demographic data [23], and improve our understanding the extent and variation of dispersal patterns and group dynamics [2,23,17].…”

Section: New Research Horizonsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards Automated Visual Monitoring of Individual Gorillas in the Wild

Brust

Burghardt

Groenenberg

et al. 2017

2017 IEEE International Conference on Computer Vision Workshops (ICCVW)

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In this paper we report on the context and evaluation of a system for an automatic interpretation of sightings of individual western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) as captured in facial fieldVisual data acquisition in the field often captures sufficient information to establish encounters with individual gorillas. However, relevant information is locked within the pixel patterns measured, usually requiring expert knowledge and time-consuming efforts for identification. Computer vision can help to extract gorilla identities by performing automated species detection, followed by individual facial identification. We show that standard deep learning models combined with a traditional SVM classifier can be used for this task. To assist encounter processing, predictions can be presented graphically with known population information as shown.

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Section: New Research Horizonsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards Automated Visual Monitoring of Individual Gorillas in the Wild

Brust

Burghardt

Groenenberg

et al. 2017

2017 IEEE International Conference on Computer Vision Workshops (ICCVW)

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“…2). For example, long-term camera trap projects can reconstruct group composition, including births, disappearances, and interbirth intervals (Galvis et al 2014). In addition to demographic patterns, camera traps can be used to record specific primate behaviors, which are addressed next.…”

Section: Assessing Primate Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…3). Camera trap studies have documented which species frequent geophagy sites (Link et al 2011;Matsubayashi et al 2007), patterns of consumption (Galvis et al 2014;Pebsworth et al 2012), and possible seasonal effects of geophagy (Blake et al 2010). Because geophagy sites are important contributors to a primate's overall health and they can be monitored with relative ease, these sites should be considered conservation priorities and target areas for gathering camera trap data (Matsubayashi et al 2007;Pebsworth et al 2012).…”

Section: Recording Primate Behaviormentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ideally, biased camera trap data should be corrected or offset by using an occupancy framework (Gerber et al 2014), and/or combining camera trap surveys with complementary methods. Many established methods have been used in combination with camera trap surveys to improve data reliability, e.g., direct observation and spot counts (Galvis et al 2014;Pickles et al 2011;and line transects, Farris et al 2014), although other methods also have inherent biases such as variation in detection, small sample size, and low precision (Gerber et al 2014). When camera traps and direct observation fails to establish species presence, indirect observation (spoor, feces, nest, carcasses) can be employed (Nakashima et al 2013;Ross and Reeve 2003;Stevens et al 2011).…”

Section: Correcting Camera Trap Biasesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Baseline analyses and environmental monitoring are essential components of conservation management, and camera traps are effective tools both alongside and apart from traditional habitat and animal monitoring programs (Ahumada et al 2013;Galvis et al 2014). For example, camera trap monitoring and surveillance of Peruvian primates showed that trap success and encounter rates dramatically decreased immediately after land clearance and gas pipeline installation; however, animals resumed use of land bridges after construction (Gregory et al 2013).…”

Section: Implications For Primate Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Advancing Primate Research and Conservation Through the Use of Camera Traps: Introduction to the Special Issue

Pebsworth

LaFleur

2014

Int J Primatol

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Effective conservation and management of primates depend on our ability to accurately assess and monitor populations through research. Camera traps are proving to be useful tools for studying a variety of primate species, in diverse and often difficult habitats. Here, we discuss the use of camera traps in primatology to survey rare species, assess populations, and record behavior. We also discuss methodological considerations for primate studies, including camera trap research design, inherent biases, and some limitations of camera traps. We encourage other primatologists to use transparent and standardized methods, and when appropriate to consider using occupancy framework to account for imperfect detection, and complementary techniques, e.g., transect counts, interviews, behavioral observation, to ensure accuracy of data interpretation. In addition, we address the conservation implications of camera trapping, such as using data to inform industry, garner public support, and contributing photos to large-scale habitat monitoring projects. Camera trap studies such as these are sure to advance research and conservation of primate species. Finally, we provide commentary on the ethical considerations, e.g., photographs of humans and illegal activity, of using camera traps in primate research. We believe ethical considerations will be particularly important in future primate studies, although this topic has not previously been addressed for camera trap use in primatology or any wildlife species.

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Demography and life history of a group of white‐bellied spider monkeys (Ateles belzebuth) in western Amazonia

Link

Milich

Fiore

2018

American J Primatol

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Species-specific demographic parameters and life history variables are important for understanding how individual primate taxa have adapted to evolutionary and ecological pressures and for conducting interspecific comparisons as well as for conducting population viability analyses and for managing captive populations. Here, we describe results from a 12+ year study of the demographic dynamics of a wild group of white-bellied spider monkeys (Ateles belzebuth belzebuth) living near the Tiputini Biodiversity Station in a largely pristine rainforest in western Amazonia. Across the study period, group size varied between 25 and 37 individuals, and there was a clearly female-biased sex ratio within all age classes. Females were the dispersing sex, as 19 females born into the group disappeared close to reaching adult body size and were presumed to have emigrated, while seven subadult or adult females joined the group during the study period. We estimated the age of dispersal for females at 5.9 ± SD 0.4 years (N = 13). Our study confirms that males are the philopatric sex, as all natal males have remained in the group and some have begun to reproduce, while no males have immigrated. Males began ranging independently from their mothers at ∼4.5 years of age and began copulating with adult females by the age of ∼5 years. Females had long inter-birth intervals (44.2 ± SD 7.8 months; range: 32-64 months, N = 21). Based on our data, female spider monkeys might have longer life spans than males, as only one out of six adult males but 9 out of 11 adult females present in the group in mid 2005 were still present in January 2018. The slow development and extended life histories of wild spider monkeys pose significant challenges for the ability of these primates to cope with habitat degradation and hunting throughout their geographical distribution.

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A Novel Use of Camera Traps to Study Demography and Life History in Wild Animals: A Case Study of Spider Monkeys (Ateles belzebuth)

Cited by 21 publications

References 28 publications

Towards Automated Visual Monitoring of Individual Gorillas in the Wild

Towards Automated Visual Monitoring of Individual Gorillas in the Wild

Advancing Primate Research and Conservation Through the Use of Camera Traps: Introduction to the Special Issue

Demography and life history of a group of white‐bellied spider monkeys (Ateles belzebuth) in western Amazonia

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