The difficulty in observing and capturing elusive species in the wild is one of the main reasons for the limited number of studies on such species. This knowledge gap affects the development of conservation and management plans. Hence, testing the feasibility of research tools is essential for the future use and reliability of such tools. Camera traps increasingly are used as an alternative to capturing animals for wildlife research, and to generate important data for the management and conservation of many species. We identified individual free‐ranging gray brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira) from the Brazilian Pantanal by their natural markings. From October 2011 through September 2012, we investigated the feasibility of using camera traps for home range, habitat use, and activity period studies based on individuals with natural marks compared with the concurrent data collected from Global Positioning System (GPS) collars. Home range studies based on camera traps have limitations related to the quantity of individuals with natural marks and need for population premonitoring to detect them. The irregular performance of camera traps and lower detection probability in open habitats restricted its application in the habitat use study, especially among highly heterogeneous habitats. However, the positive correlation (r = 0.98, P < 0.001) between the frequency of photographic records and distances travelled by deer with GPS locations indicated reliable use of camera traps for research into activity periods. Camera traps can be used as an alternative to telemetry, potentially expanding the perspective and scope of noninvasive ecological studies for elusive and cryptic species. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.

中文翻译：

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相机陷阱对难以捉摸的森林鹿进行生态学研究的可行性

在野外难以观察和捕获难以捉摸的物种是对此类物种进行有限研究的主要原因之一。这种知识差距会影响保护和管理计划的制定。因此，测试研究工具的可行性对于此类工具的未来使用和可靠性至关重要。照相诱捕器越来越多地被用作捕获动物以进行野生动植物研究的替代方法，并为许多物种的管理和保护产生重要数据。我们确定了单个散养的灰bro鹿（Mazama gouazoubira）来自巴西潘塔纳尔湿地公园的自然标记。从2011年10月到2012年9月，我们调查了使用具有自然标记的个体与从全球定位系统（GPS）项圈收集的并发数据进行比较的相机陷阱进行家庭范围，栖息地使用和活动期研究的可行性。基于照相机陷阱的家庭靶场研究具有自然标记的个体数量存在局限性，需要进行人口预先监测以检测它们。相机陷阱的不规则性能和在开放栖息地中较低的检测概率限制了其在栖息地使用研究中的应用，尤其是在高度异类的栖息地中。但是，正相关（r  = 0.98，P 摄影记录的频率与鹿在GPS位置上的行进距离之间的误差<0.001）表明可以可靠地使用相机陷阱来研究活动时间。相机陷阱可以用作遥测技术的替代方法，从而有可能扩大对难以捉摸和神秘物种的非侵入性生态研究的视野和范围。©2020野生动物协会。