CAUGHT ON CAMERA
Take a peek at these characterful captures. While camera traps are usually set up to film animals going about their lives and are a useful tool for serious conservation work, they can also capture cute, chaotic, and comedic moments.
Fox and cubs
Cub trouble: this vixen was vexed by her cubs’ insistence on staying outside. This earth is located on the zoo estate.
Warthog
Turn the sound down! These birds, piapiacs, turned out to be loud hitchhikers. This warthog was spotted in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda.
Anteater
Having a wash! Giant anteaters have been recorded digging out watering holes to have a bath. Scientists are not quite sure why they do this as, unlike hippos and pigs, they are furry and do not need to wallow. Perhaps they just enjoy it! This moment of self-care was recorded in the Tanguro area of Brazil.
Mongoose
Playtime! A young mongoose (an Alexander's cusimanse) from Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda, picks out a new toy. Play is an important part of development for social animals.
Badger
Playtime is over: This cub tried badgering their mother into playing with them. This video was captured on the zoo estate during a survey.
Badger
Curious badgers: European badgers are the largest terrestrial predator in the UK. They are opportunistic eaters and have a varied diet of hunted prey, carrion, tubers, berries, insects, worms, and more.
Big Cat
Leopard: This footage was taken in Semuliki National Park during a 2019 project to monitor the pangolin population. Camera traps often gather ‘by-catch’ as they trigger whenever there is significant movement. Although not the focus of a study, these animal cameos offer insight into the species mix of an area as well as wild behaviour.
Lemur
Eastern bamboo lemurs. These bamboo lemurs stand in a line along a tree trunk, one after another. The collective noun for lemurs is a ‘conspiracy’. This conspiracy was filmed in the Mangabe conservation landscape, Madagascar.
Camera trap fact
Despite the name, there's no trapping involved! The cameras are simply left in a secret spot and sense when there's some movement or animal action in the surrounding area, helping us to capture incredible moments like these.
Camera trap fact
Despite the name, there's no trapping involved! The cameras are simply left in a secret spot and sense when there's some movement or animals action in the surrounding area, helping us capture magic little moments like these.
