Snapshot Serengeti Talk

What does 'interacting' mean?

  • brightwanderer by brightwanderer

    I clicked it once when an animal was 'interacting' with the camera (by climbing on it) but then I realised it might mean interacting with others of its species, or with other creatures in general. Can you clarify?

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  • kosmala by kosmala scientist

    'Interacting' should be when an animal is interaction in some way with another animal -- biting, chasing, mating, for example.

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  • ArvTheNorman by ArvTheNorman

    I did about 25 interacting of antilopes playing with the camera... Maybe clarify it in tutorial

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  • aliburchard by aliburchard scientist, translator

    Great idea - thanks!

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  • phidauex by phidauex

    Haha, maybe add a "tampering" or "vandalizing" option for mischievous animals. 😉

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  • phidauex by phidauex

    Actually, I was joking at first, but now that I think of it, would there be a valid scientific interest in the impact the cameras themselves make on the environment? How often animals mess with the equipment itself may have some bearing on how the cameras affect their behavior.

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  • aliburchard by aliburchard scientist, translator

    It's a really interesting idea -- there's a graduate student at Stanford currently studying whether animals are "shy" of camera traps in California. In Serengeti, it doesn't look like the animals are shy -- based on the number of noses and pulled down cameras, as well as repeated sightings of individual leopards, cheetahs, and lions at the same site. But it would be interesting to know if the animals are attracted to the cameras, and from how far away, or if the cameras do change behaviors down the line. FOr the most part, we think they're just curious. Hyenas, for example, are known to munch on anything man-made that they might find outside, including plastic mop-buckets and our once-intact chair cushions...

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  • phidauex by phidauex

    I suppose shiny stuff isn't too common out there, and they are pretty bold for the most part. Interesting topic though, whether the animals are shy, or attracted to the cameras.

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  • NaturalCon by NaturalCon

    Seconded on this one, I wasn't sure if it was interacting with the camera or with other animals. 😃

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