Africa after sunset: Wildlife camera
Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 9:58 pm
There is a lot going on after another magnificent African sunset. All kinds of nocturnal creatures become alive after dark. What animals came to drink at that remote waterhole? Did those lions cross Third Bridge? Or were hyenas inspecting your campsite, sniffing at your tent while you were dreaming of Africa?
You can find out with a wildlife camera. The general idea is the same as a surveillance camera, except that a wildlife- or trailcam is autonomous, battery powered and stores pics and video on a memory card. These cams operate 24/7 for weeks and provide pics or video of everything that comes in front of the lens, using infrared motion detection to trigger the camera.
Trailcams are originally produced for hunters to pick out the next target in their hunting concession. They are also great tools for monitoring wildlife, and can also be used for security during your journey.
Best choice: Lots of brands and types to choose from. In short, my best advice is the HCO Scoutguard SG550V. Affordable, small & lightweight, fast response time, no flash and very reliable. Works on penlites (AA) for weeks and provides 5MP pics or 16 fps VGA video, in color during daytime, black & white during nighttime. As with most of these cameras, do not expect high quality from pics or video. You will need to tie your camera to a tree or something, otherwise it is likely to disappear soon. Best method is a python cable lock. To prevent any damage, a steel bear-proof security box is also recommended. Camera, box & lock will cost you around €195 in the USA or Canada, excluding shipping. Check out the internet for more info:
Dealer: http://www.trailnsecuritycameras.ca/index.html
Trailcam reviews: http://www.chasingame.com/
Video footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgxzNga6hDM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHSD5LFKPAY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WfV6dGOEU0&NR=1
You can find out with a wildlife camera. The general idea is the same as a surveillance camera, except that a wildlife- or trailcam is autonomous, battery powered and stores pics and video on a memory card. These cams operate 24/7 for weeks and provide pics or video of everything that comes in front of the lens, using infrared motion detection to trigger the camera.
Trailcams are originally produced for hunters to pick out the next target in their hunting concession. They are also great tools for monitoring wildlife, and can also be used for security during your journey.
Best choice: Lots of brands and types to choose from. In short, my best advice is the HCO Scoutguard SG550V. Affordable, small & lightweight, fast response time, no flash and very reliable. Works on penlites (AA) for weeks and provides 5MP pics or 16 fps VGA video, in color during daytime, black & white during nighttime. As with most of these cameras, do not expect high quality from pics or video. You will need to tie your camera to a tree or something, otherwise it is likely to disappear soon. Best method is a python cable lock. To prevent any damage, a steel bear-proof security box is also recommended. Camera, box & lock will cost you around €195 in the USA or Canada, excluding shipping. Check out the internet for more info:
Dealer: http://www.trailnsecuritycameras.ca/index.html
Trailcam reviews: http://www.chasingame.com/
Video footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgxzNga6hDM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHSD5LFKPAY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WfV6dGOEU0&NR=1