Wildlife cameras for undisturbed animal observation
Want to know more about the presence of fauna in a given area without constant disturbance? Wildlife cameras offer valuable insights into the presence and population size of animal species. They also make it possible to observe behaviour and record activity patterns. Whether you want to optimise management of a hunting area, map the health of wildlife populations or even monitor your area for unwanted visitors, wildlife cameras offer a practical and efficient solution.
What is a wildlife camera?
With a wildlife camera, you film animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them. A wildlife camera is sometimes also called a trail camera. These cameras come in a sturdy, weatherproof housing and automatically take photos and videos as soon as something moves. You can use it for long-term, undetected observation. A wildlife camera is therefore a valuable tool for both wildlife management and responsible hunting.
How does a wildlife camera work?
A wildlife camera works with a motion sensor that reacts to changes in heat to detect movement. As soon as an animal approaches, the camera automatically switches on and takes a photo or video. For night shots, the camera uses infrared light that is invisible to humans and animals. This allows the camera to take sharp photos even at night, without bright light that would disturb animals.
What do you use a wildlife camera for?
- Monitoring wildlife populations
A wildlife camera records which animal species are present in a particular area. This helps you determine which animals are present and how large the populations are. - Behavioural study
Use cameras to track animal behaviour, such as eating habits, mating times and migration patterns. - Capturing patterns
Wildlife cameras help discover when, and where, animals are active, such as during sunrise or sunset. - Managing hunting grounds
The recordings provide insight into the health and numbers of wildlife. This helps in making sustainable decisions on area management. - Security
Wildlife cameras can also be used to monitor for unwanted visitors, such as poachers or people entering the area without permission.
How to choose the best wildlife camera?
When choosing a wildlife camera, resolution of the images and battery life are two important points to look out for. The higher the resolution, the sharper the photos and videos the camera takes. For most gardens, a camera with at least 12 megapixels is suitable. You can also opt for a higher resolution, then you can see more details. This is easier for recognising specific species.
"The higher the resolution, the sharper the photos and videos will be."
If you plan to hang the camera outside for a long time, it is useful if the camera has a long battery life. Most cameras run on AA batteries. It is then possible to take pictures for weeks or even months before the batteries run out. You can also buy separate solar panels for most wildlife cameras that you can plug in. If you put rechargeable batteries in the camera, you can charge them with this. Some Camouflage brand models even have a built-in solar panel. Here, of course, the solar panel must be able to receive sunlight.
What functions can a wildlife camera have?
There are many types of wildlife cameras, each with different functions. Which functions you choose depends on your needs. All wildlife cameras can take photos and videos in daylight and often in the dark. This is suitable for beginners or people who want to start easily. There are also features that make using the camera easier.
- HD and 4K cameras: These cameras capture sharp and detailed footage, which is useful if you want to see and recognise animals better.
- Wi-Fi cameras: These more advanced cameras can send recordings wirelessly to your smartphone or computer. This makes it easy to view recordings without having to access the camera itself.
- Cameras with LCD screen: This type has a built-in screen that allows you to instantly view recordings. It is also useful for accurately aiming the camera.
- SD memory cards: Most cameras use SD cards to store recordings. This makes it easy to remove the card from the camera and view the recordings on your computer. Look carefully at what the maximum number of GB the camera supports. The higher the number of GB, the more recordings will fit on it.
- Dual-sensor cameras: Luxury models have two sensors, one for day and one for night, allowing them to capture sharper shots during the day, as well as at night.
- Low glow / no glow: This refers to how visible the camera's infrared light is. With a no glow camera, the light cannot be seen at all, either by humans or animals.
- Trigger time: Trigger time is the time it takes a wildlife camera to take a photo or video after motion is detected.
- Recovery rate: Recovery rate is the time it takes for the camera to be ready for the next photo or video after taking a shot.
Some wildlife camera's have a very practical and unique feature: Field scan.
Field Scan is a very practical and unique feature, allowing you to monitor food sites or field edges with time-lapse photos or videos. When this feature is enabled (‘On’), the wildlife camera automatically takes a picture (or records a video clip) at an interval of your choosing (e.g. every five minutes) during one or two time blocks you set per day. This is done without an active animal having to trigger the camera.
The big advantage of this is that you can monitor the edge of a field that is, say, 50 or 150 metres away from the camera, outside the range of the PIR sensor. The result is a much longer effective range than normal, with the camera depending on nearby animal movements. This is an excellent tool for hunters to scout an entire field with just one camera.
Setting options on the camera
Each wildlife camera has different settings that you can adjust. Generally, there are two options: the camera can shoot as soon as motion is detected, or you can choose to shoot at a time interval. In that case, the camera takes a picture or video every minute, every hour, or even every five seconds, for example, without requiring motion. You can also turn on both.
Examples of the various options
If you want to use a wildlife camera to observe animals, it is essential to choose a wildlife camera with the right features. For example, the latest models, including those from brands like Bushnell, Seissiger and Camouflage, have long standby times. They also function well in the dark thanks to infrared LED technology. Here we put four different models side by side and take a look at their main features.
Bushnell 24MP Wildlife camera Prime Brown Low Glow
The Bushnell 24MP Prime Brown Low Glow might be a good option if you need a simple wildlife camera. This camera takes 24-megapixel photos and videos in 1080p. It responds to motion within 0.3 seconds and can take a second photo within 1 second (recovery rate). This camera does not have WiFi, but for a basic model, this is a great choice.
Specifications
- Resolution: Photos up to 24 MP and 1080p videos with audio.
- Night vision distance: 24-metre range.
- Night vision flash: minimum glow of 36 infrared LED.
- Speed: 0.3 second trigger time and 1 second recovery rate.
- Connectivity: No WiFi, storage up to 32GB via SD card.
- Battery: Operates on six AA batteries, standby 1 year
- Display: Black/White text LCD.
Bushnell 32MP Dual Core 4K No Glow Trailcam
The Bushnell 32MP Dual Core 4K is an option if you need the best quality images. This camera takes 30-megapixel photos and videos in 4K. The camera can also see up to 33 metres at night. The LCD display makes it easy to point the camera. This camera does not have WiFi, so you have to take the SD card out of the camera to view recordings. But if you are looking for very high resolution for both photos, and videos, and exceptional night vision range, this is the perfect choice.
Specifications
- Resolution: photos up to 32 MP, video recording in 4K with audio.
- Night vision distance: 34-metre range, providing great night vision.
- Night vision flash: Invisible to humans and animals
- Speed: 0.2 second trigger time and a recovery rate of 1 second.
- Connectivity: No wifi, storage up to 512GB via SD card.
- Battery: Operates on 6 AA batteries, standby 1 year
- Display: 1.5-inch colour LCD for viewing recordings.
Camouflage EZ-60 Wildlife camera with wifi
If you prefer to view your photos and videos directly on your smartphone, the Camouflage EZ-60 is the best option. This camera takes 48-megapixel photos and 4K videos. The advantage of this camera is that it has Wi-Fi, so you can send the photos and videos to your phone without going to the camera. It also has a very fast response time of 0.2 seconds.
Specifications
- Resolution: photos up to 48 MP and video recording in 4K.
- Night vision distance: 24 metres with 42 infrared LEDs.
- Night vision flash: Minimal glow (850NM)
- Speed: 0.2 second trigger time.
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi support for transferring data to an app.
- Battery: Runs on 8 AA batteries, standby time of 8 months.
- Display: 3-inch TFT LCD for instant image display.
- Weather resistance: IP66 waterproof, so can withstand harsh weather conditions.
Seissiger Special-Cam LTE Supersim Edition 4G - wildlife camera with SIM card
The Seissiger Special-Cam LTE Supersim Edition 4G offers the ability to send photos and videos directly to your phone via a built-in SIM card. It takes 12-megapixel photos and videos in Full HD. This model is perfect if you want to receive recordings remotely and WiFi is not available. The camera sends recordings using the SUPERSIM prepaid card, for which you can easily purchase credit.
Specifications
- Resolution: photos up to 12 MP, videos in Full HD with sound.
- Night vision: 25-metre range
- Night vision flash: Black flash infrared, invisible to humans and animals.
- Speed: 0.6 second trigger time
- Connectivity: 4G connectivity with a built-in SIM card for sending photos and video via mobile networks.
- Battery: Runs on 12 AA batteries, ensuring long battery life.
- Display: 5cm TFT colour display.
How do you place a wildlife camera?
You need little technical knowledge to use a wildlife camera. Most cameras are very easy to set up. When placing a wildlife camera, it is obviously important to choose strategic locations.
Make sure the camera is placed at the right height and angle for optimal shots. The camera's angle of view is not very large, for example, hang the camera at knee height if you want to capture animals on the ground. Use the supplied mounting straps to securely mount the camera to a tree, pole or other stable surface. Camouflage can help make the camera less conspicuous. Switch on the camera and let it do the work for you.
