As part of the regional Adirondack Inventory and Monitoring (AIM) network (started by Paul Jensen at SUNY ESF), this project uses camera traps to monitor and track wildlife populations at SUNY Potsdam. The hope is to detect otherwise undetectable patterns of wildlife movement, but to do so humanely: camera traps (unlike other monitoring methods) neither harm nor kill animals. AIM data, in the aggregate, will facilitate regional analysis, such as how climate change may impact species richness and distributions in the Adirondacks and Northeast. For our project, we were trained in a standard setup and maintenance procedure for each of three camera traps located on SUNY Potsdam’s campus. Cameras were monitored on a regular tri-weekly schedule. Preliminary analyses show a range of biodiversity and wildlife interactions at each camera location. We anticipate that regular monitoring will register any future changes in these observed patterns.
Past Projects
