For a long time now we've been wanting to find out more about the nocturnal and more elusive animals at REGUA - which species are present where, and what their habits and movements are. We decided to buy a small number of camera traps (with a view of getting more if these proved successful), and after investigating various options we chose three Bushnell Trophy Cams. In order to maximise our chances of capturing a range of animals, we set up the cameras in three very different places around the reserve.
The first camera was set up in a couple of places along the bank of a small forest stream that crosses the Brown Trail (at post 1200) which passes through recently planted lowland secondary forest, near the lodge. Last year, lodge co-ordinator Helen Cavilla, found tracks of Crab-eating Fox Cerdocyon thous and Crab-eating Raccoon Procyon cancrivorus in the sandy river bank here, and we were keen to see if these and other animals were using this tiny forest stream on a regular basis.
During the day the stream appears largely deserted, with just a pair of Long-billed Wrens and a couple of species of damselfly in evidence. Throughout the trip, the camera didn't capture any mammals, but did, however, reveal a couple of surprises.
The first was an adult Boat-billed Heron. A very scarce bird at REGUA, Boat-billed Heron are only occasionally found roosting during the day around the wetland, often in the company of Black-crowned Night-Herons. If this nocturnal species has a preference for feeding along these narrow secluded forest streams rather than out on the wetland, then this might explain the paucity of sightings.
Another surprise was a Limpkin captured feeding in the stream. This part of the stream is quite far in to the forest for a bird more usually associated with open wetland areas. Limpkin are locally uncommon, and are most often found in wet grassy pasture near the reserve.
Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail is common around the wetland and I'm surprised we didn't capture more on camera.
Evidence of Puma Puma concolor, such as prints, territorial marks and kills, are frequently found while walking the Red, Grey and Blue Trails. Over the last few years we've found most signs on the Red Trail so we positioned the camera high up on the trail at post 1650, and hopes were (perhaps unrealistically) high that we'd capture images of a Puma activity. These trails are also the most likely spots to capture images of other cats such as Ocelot Leopardus pardalis, Margay Leopardus wiedii and Oncilla Leopardus tigrinus.
Frustratingly, after retrieving the camera a week later we discovered it was faulty, recording only audio and no video. However, there were some interesting sounds picked up, so maybe next time we'll have more success. We moved another camera to the Blue Trail for a few nights. Still no cats but we did capture this pregnant South-eastern Common Opossum Didelphis aurita.
The third camera was positioned in the lodge garden beneath the bird feeders. Each day bananas and manyock are left out to attract mammals, and a few years back a Paca Agouti paca was found to be visiting the garden. We were keen to see if any were still around, and the camera revealed at least one visiting the garden each night. Paca are highly prized by hunters and their presence here is a good indication of the effect the REGUA rangers are having at deterring hunting on the reserve.
A less surprising visitor was this South-eastern Common Opossum. These animals can be seen most nights in the trees along the Brown Trail near the lodge. Note that this animal is also a pregnant female.
Next year we'll try a few other places and hopefully capture some cats on camera.
Lowland forest stream
The first camera was set up in a couple of places along the bank of a small forest stream that crosses the Brown Trail (at post 1200) which passes through recently planted lowland secondary forest, near the lodge. Last year, lodge co-ordinator Helen Cavilla, found tracks of Crab-eating Fox Cerdocyon thous and Crab-eating Raccoon Procyon cancrivorus in the sandy river bank here, and we were keen to see if these and other animals were using this tiny forest stream on a regular basis.
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| The forest stream where it crosses the Brown Trail at post 1200. This stream drains into the wetland. |
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| Camera trap positioned along the forest stream. |
During the day the stream appears largely deserted, with just a pair of Long-billed Wrens and a couple of species of damselfly in evidence. Throughout the trip, the camera didn't capture any mammals, but did, however, reveal a couple of surprises.
The first was an adult Boat-billed Heron. A very scarce bird at REGUA, Boat-billed Heron are only occasionally found roosting during the day around the wetland, often in the company of Black-crowned Night-Herons. If this nocturnal species has a preference for feeding along these narrow secluded forest streams rather than out on the wetland, then this might explain the paucity of sightings.
Another surprise was a Limpkin captured feeding in the stream. This part of the stream is quite far in to the forest for a bird more usually associated with open wetland areas. Limpkin are locally uncommon, and are most often found in wet grassy pasture near the reserve.
Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail is common around the wetland and I'm surprised we didn't capture more on camera.
Primary forest
Evidence of Puma Puma concolor, such as prints, territorial marks and kills, are frequently found while walking the Red, Grey and Blue Trails. Over the last few years we've found most signs on the Red Trail so we positioned the camera high up on the trail at post 1650, and hopes were (perhaps unrealistically) high that we'd capture images of a Puma activity. These trails are also the most likely spots to capture images of other cats such as Ocelot Leopardus pardalis, Margay Leopardus wiedii and Oncilla Leopardus tigrinus.
Frustratingly, after retrieving the camera a week later we discovered it was faulty, recording only audio and no video. However, there were some interesting sounds picked up, so maybe next time we'll have more success. We moved another camera to the Blue Trail for a few nights. Still no cats but we did capture this pregnant South-eastern Common Opossum Didelphis aurita.
Lodge garden
The third camera was positioned in the lodge garden beneath the bird feeders. Each day bananas and manyock are left out to attract mammals, and a few years back a Paca Agouti paca was found to be visiting the garden. We were keen to see if any were still around, and the camera revealed at least one visiting the garden each night. Paca are highly prized by hunters and their presence here is a good indication of the effect the REGUA rangers are having at deterring hunting on the reserve.
A less surprising visitor was this South-eastern Common Opossum. These animals can be seen most nights in the trees along the Brown Trail near the lodge. Note that this animal is also a pregnant female.
Next year we'll try a few other places and hopefully capture some cats on camera.
