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Camera traps are icreasingly becoming crucial for animal conservation research. They also give us valuable insights on the behavior of wild animals. The videos shown in this site are compiled from projects in coastal Alaska, Wyoming and the Peruvian Amazon.

Social activity in the sun

A giant otter family group  rests and socializes after a strenuous fishing session. We use the logs where giant otters rest to sample their hair.

Giant otters eating fish

Giant otters spend long periods swimming and fishing. This video shows a family group in Cocha Cashu, in Manu National Park, swimming in lake water, grooming and eating fish.

Giant otter grooming time

Giant otter family group during intense social activity. Our research team, from the San Diego Zoo Conservation Institute, found this group in the heart of Peru's gold mining area.

River otter group dance

River otters show a curious display behavior which is associated with urination and defecation in latrines. Using motion-activated camera trap technology, I am trying to understand the drivers of this behavior.

River otter battles

Fights or aggressive behavior among river otter groups, which are primarily formed by males, are quite uncommon. In the past summer, one of our camera traps was able to document such event.

River otters rubbing and rolling

River otter rub and roll on vegetation on a latrine site in coastal Alaska. We believe this behavior may have a signaling function, in addition to helping otters wipe salt off their fur.

Fighting river otters

Our camera trap records a fight between river otters, possibly females, near the end of the mating season in coastal Alaska.

Cute river otter coughing

This river otter seems to be working on a cold. It can be seen wiping itself on a grassy substrate in a latrine, while coughing and moaning.

River otters mating

During the short mating season in coastal Alaska, river otter males leave their groups and seek mating opportunities. One such meeting with a female was captured by our camera trap.

Alaska river otter dance

This videoclip I made with my animator friend Ricardo Werdesheim shows the behavior of our all-dancing, all-socializing Alaska river otters.

Black bear

Black bear sow and three cubs visiting one of our monitored river otter latrine sites.

Mule deer fight

Young mule deer bucks fighting in the winds of Wyoming

Long-tailed weasel

This small carnivore was detected by one of our sagebrush camera traps in Pole Mountain, Wyoming.

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