You can also explore this dataset on TUVA, an interactive graphing platform.
Background
Browsing by too many deer can result in habitat loss for other wildlife, give advantages to invasive over native species, and change the types of plants that will be present in future forests. Because of these potential negative impacts, protection of our wild lands from excessive browsing by deer is a goal at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.
Trends in deer population numbers are more useful than momentary head counts when setting appropriate deer population goals. We use several methods, including trail camera surveys, to monitor deer impacts and population trends in order to set deer management goals.
Our trail camera survey allows us to track trends in deer numbers, but it also provide insights about other wildlife that use our property. This dataset represents wildlife encounters recorded by the trail camera during the late summer and fall during 2015 and 2016. It includes information from sites with 2 different habitats and during 2 years with different food resource availability.
These data provide an opportunity to consider the abundance of different wildlife species on our site. They also provide insight into the choices animals make regarding when and where to spend their time in relation to available habitats, what resources they provide, and factors that influence their survival like predation and environmental conditions.
Data Sampling & Compilation
Data Source: This dataset represents a subset of 6 cameras which are part of a larger study of wildife use of the Cary Institute property in Millbrook, NY. Data is included for 42 days (September 3 through October 15) during 2015 and 2016.