Rhode Island wildlife camera trap survey 2018 to 2023.

Area of Science:

• Wildlife Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Rhode Island faces habitat changes from human development and natural disturbances like the spongy moth caterpillar.
• Understanding wildlife spatiotemporal dynamics is vital for conservation in human-impacted landscapes.
• Camera trapping offers an efficient method for wildlife population monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document terrestrial vertebrate species and their distribution across Rhode Island using camera traps.
• To collect data for analyzing wildlife population changes in response to landscape dynamics.
• To provide a comprehensive dataset for future wildlife research and conservation efforts.

Main Methods:

• Camera traps were deployed at 249 sites across Rhode Island from 2018 to 2023, focusing on forest and wetland habitats.
• Surveys covered multiple seasons (winter, summer, spring) to capture temporal variations in wildlife activity.
• Data collection involved documenting all terrestrial vertebrate species detected, including bobcats and fishers, alongside other wildlife.

Main Results:

• A total of 244,013 detections were recorded across 39 terrestrial vertebrate species (25 mammals, 13 birds, and humans).
• The study successfully documented wildlife presence across diverse habitats and seasons, capturing spatiotemporal data.
• The collected data provide a foundation for advanced analyses like occupancy modeling to assess landscape impacts.

Conclusions:

• The camera trap data offer valuable insights into wildlife populations and their response to environmental changes in Rhode Island.
• This research highlights the importance of continuous wildlife monitoring in densely populated and developing regions.
• The openly available dataset supports further research on wildlife ecology and conservation strategies.