Review of the software for processing and analysis of data from camera traps: latest news, working with video and GIS

• Main Author: Sergey S. Ogurtsov
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Fund for Support and Development of Protected Areas 2019-05-01
• Series: Nature Conservation Research: Zapovednaâ Nauka
• Subjects: monitoring; non-invasive methods; Protected Area; state nature reserve
• Online Access: http://ncr-journal.bear-land.org/article/196

This article is a continuation of the review of software for storing, processing and analysing data from camera traps. The review includes the latest software for processing data from camera traps that have appeared in recent years, as well as some already outdated solutions. For the first time, the topics of work of such software with video files and GIS are highlighted in Russian. We provide detailed descriptions of such thematic software as SpeedyMouse, TrophyRoom, ViXeN, camtrapR, CPW Photo Warehouse, Wild.ID, Camelot and ZSL CTAP. We briefly reviewed online services for camera trap data processing and web applications: eMammal, Snapshot Serengeti, Agouti, Western Shield, TRAPPER, as well as the global data repository for camera traps data – Wildlife Insights. The possibilities of working with camera traps in GIS are separately considered: e.g. plugins for QGIS (Geotag and Import Photos and eVis), as well as the GeoTagged Photos to Points tool for ArcGIS. Many advantages and disadvantages of the presented solutions, as well as some methods of working with them, are analysed. On the example of own studies in the Central Forest Nature Biosphere Reserve (Russia) a comparative analysis of various programs and approaches in the use of camera traps as a method of zoological studies was conducted. In addition, general recommendations were given on working with them for other Protected Areas. We identified the key characteristics of the programs for working with camera traps that are worth paying attention to when choosing a particular solution. For all of these software packets, there are hyperlinks for their free download, as well as hyperlinks to user manuals and tutorials. The purpose of the article was not only to identify the most optimal (from author's viewpoint) tools for working with the data of camera traps, but also to acquaint readers with the diversity of such means in world practice.