Human-wildlife coexistence represents a major challenge for the Anthropocene. Effective strategies for coexistence are needed in landscapes where we live, work and play—from backyards with bears, to cutblocks near caribou, to mountain trails passing mountain goats. Developing and testing these strategies requires rigorous evidence on wildlife responses to human activities and management actions. In this talk, I will provide an overview of ways in which the WildCo lab and partners are using camera traps (i.e., remotely triggered infrared cameras) to measure mammal responses to human impacts and interventions. I hope to convey some of the promise and pitfalls of camera trap science, and outline a vision for how it can support the pressing need for evidence-based wildlife management on a crowded planet.

This presentation is sponsored by The Wildlife Society Student Chapter at UNBC.

The Natural Resources & Environmental Studies Institute (NRESi) at UNBC hosts a weekly lecture series at the Prince George campus. Anyone from the university or wider community with interest in the topic area is welcome to attend. Presentations are also made available to remote participants through Zoom Webinar. Go to http://www.unbc.ca/nres-institute/colloquium-webcasts to view the presentation remotely.

Past NRESi colloquium presentations and special lectures can be viewed on our video archive, available here.