Searching for a Needle in a Haystack: Louisiana Pinesnakes and Camera Traps

Webinar Description:

Rare and secretive snake species with low occupancy and detection rates are expensive to monitor and study using traditional box traps. Advancements in camera trap technology have provided wildlife researchers with a more efficient technique to monitor such species, like the federally listed Louisiana Pinesnake (Pituophis ruthveni), that can be difficult to detect due to both rarity and a life history with secretive behaviors. A pilot study at the Louisiana reintroduction site showed that camera traps reliably detected Louisiana Pinesnakes, however, the task of converting millions of camera images to snake detections remains a challenge. Here, we report the results of a two-year camera trapping study using time-lapse triggered camera traps to detect Louisiana Pinesnakes in east Texas. We scored camera images from cameras manually and based on a pixel change detection algorithm. Future research will focus on refining species-specific detection protocols using camera trapping techniques and computer algorithms.

Bio:

Danielle joined the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute in August 2018 and the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management in October 2022. As part of the herpetology team at the Natural Resources Institute, her research focuses on understanding the natural history of herps including population dynamics, habitat associations, and other ecological information to help inform conservation of herpetofauna in Texas and beyond.

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