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27-692: Assekrem is a high plateau in the Hoggar Mountains of southern Algeria . Rising from the larger Atakor plateau , Assekrem is within Ahaggar National Park. The maximum altitude of the plateau is 2,726 metres (8,944 ft). The hermitage of Charles de Foucauld , which continues to be inhabited by a few monks, is at the top of the Assekrem plateau. This article about a location in Tamanrasset Province

54-413: A computer . Even though this method is uncommon, it is highly useful and could be the future of this research method. Some cameras are even programmed to take multiple pictures after a triggering event. There are non-triggered cameras that either run continuously or take pictures at specific time intervals. The more common ones are the advanced cameras that are triggered only after sensing movement and/or

81-652: A cold winter climate. Temperatures fall below freezing in the winter. Rainfall is rare and sporadic year-round. However, since the climate is less extreme than in most other areas of the Sahara, the mountains are a major location for biodiversity , including a number of relict species. The Hoggar Mountains are part of the West Saharan montane xeric woodlands ecoregion . Vegetation in this area includes trees such as Vachellia tortilis , Vachellia seyal , myrtle and Tamarix aphylla which are scattered throughout

108-412: A cost-effective monitoring tool. Infrared flash cameras have low disturbance and visibility. Besides olfactory and acoustic cues, camera flash may scare animals so that they avoid or destroy camera traps. The major alternative light source is infrared, which is usually not detectable by mammals or birds . Camera traps are also helpful in quantifying the number of different species in an area; this

135-412: A heat signature to increase the chances of capturing a useful image. Infrared beams can also be used to trigger the camera. Video is also an emerging option in camera traps, allowing researchers to record running streams of video and to document animal behavior. The battery life of some of these cameras is another important factor in which cameras are used; large batteries offer a longer running time for

162-412: A highly negative effect on camera traps and can result in camera malfunction. This can be problematic since the malfunction is often not immediately discovered, so a large portion of research time can be lost. Often a researcher expecting the experiment to be complete will trek back to the site, only to discover far less data than expected – or even none at all. The best type of weather for it to work in

189-601: A useful tool for anti-poaching or other law enforcement effort. One of the most important things to consider when setting up camera traps is choosing the location in order to get the best results. Camera traps near mineral licks or along game trails, where it is more likely that animals will visit frequently, are normally seen. Animals congregate around a mineral lick to consume water and soil, which can be useful in reducing toxin levels or supplement mineral intake in their diet . These locations for camera traps also allow for variety of animals who show up at different times and use

216-534: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Hoggar Mountains The Hoggar Mountains ( Arabic : جبال هقار (Ǧibāl Haqqār), Berber : idurar n Ahaggar ) are a highland region in the central Sahara in southern Algeria , along the Tropic of Cancer . The mountains cover an area of approximately 550,000 km . The Hoggar Mountains are home to the Ahaggar National Park , one of

243-649: Is a famous and often visited point where Charles de Foucauld built a hermitage in 1911. The highlands are believed to be one of the main sources of the Tamanrasset River , an ancient river that flowed during the African humid period , and named after the main city near the Hoggar Mountains, Tamanrasset , built in a desert valley or wadi that was part of the ancient watercourse. The Hoggar Mountains range typically experiences hot summers, with

270-408: Is a method for recording wild animals when researchers are not present, and has been used in ecological research for decades. In addition to applications in hunting and wildlife viewing, research applications include studies of nest ecology , detection of rare species, estimation of population size and species richness, and research on habitat use and occupation of human-built structures. Since

297-404: Is a more effective method than attempting to count by hand every individual organism in a field. It can also be useful in identifying new or rare species that have yet to be well documented. It has been key in recent years in the rediscovery of species such as the black-naped pheasant-pigeon , thought to be extinct for 140 years but captured on a trail camera by researchers. By using camera traps,

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324-440: Is any place with low humidity and stable moderate temperatures. There is also the possibility, if it is a motion activated camera, that any movement within the sensitivity range of the camera’s sensor will trigger a picture, so the camera might end up with numerous pictures of anything the wind moves, such as plants. As far as problems with camera traps, it cannot be overlooked that sometimes the subjects themselves negatively affect

351-428: Is at 2,908 m (9,541 ft). The mountains are primarily composed of metamorphic rock approximately 2 billion years old, although there are areas where more recent volcanic activity has laid down much newer rock. Several of the more dramatic peaks, such as Ilamen, are the result of erosion wearing away extinct volcano domes, leaving behind the more resistant material that plugged the volcanic cones. Assekrem

378-705: Is evident from extant rock paintings dating to 6000 BC. The Hoggar Massif is the land of the Kel Ahaggar Tuareg . The tomb of Tin Hinan , the woman believed to be the matriarch of the Tuareg, is located at Abalessa , an oasis near Tamanrasset. The hermitage of Charles de Foucauld , which continues to be inhabited by a few Catholic monks, is at the top of the Assekrem plateau in the Hoggar Mountains. Underground atomic tests were conducted by France in

405-526: Is that they can record very accurate data without disturbing the photographed animal. These data are superior to human observations because they can be reviewed by other researchers. They minimally disturb wildlife and can replace the use of more invasive survey and monitoring techniques such as live trap and release. They operate continually and silently, provide proof of species present in an area, can reveal what prints and scats belong to which species, provide evidence for management and policy decisions, and are

432-513: Is the best technique to use in the specific research is which type of species one is attempting to observe with the camera. Species such as small-bodied birds and insects may be too small to trigger the camera. Reptiles and amphibians will not be able to trip the infrared or heat differential-based sensors, however, methods have been developed to detect these species by utilizing a reflector based sensor system. However, for most medium and large-bodied terrestrial species camera traps have proven to be

459-460: The national parks of the country . The tallest peak in the range and Algeria, Mount Tahat , is located in the park area, which covers approximately 450,000 square kilometres (170,000 sq mi). This mountainous region is located about 1,500 km (930 mi) south of the capital, Algiers . The area is largely rocky desert with an average elevation of more than 900 m (3,000 ft) above sea level. The highest peak, Mount Tahat ,

486-578: The area. Other plants may include Citrullus colocynthis and Calotropis procera . Slightly to the west of the Hoggar range, a population of the endangered African wild dog ( Lycaon pictus ) remained viable into the 20th century, but is now thought to be extirpated within this entire region. Relict populations of the West African crocodile persisted in the Hoggar Mountains until the early 20th century. Analysis of collected scat in 2006 showed

513-439: The camera but can be cumbersome in set up or when lugging the equipment to the field site. Weather proof and waterproof housing for camera traps protect the equipment from damage and disguise the equipment from animals. Noise-reduction housing limits the possibility of disturbing and scaring away animals. Sound recording is another feature that can be added to the camera to record animal calls and times when specific animals are

540-487: The introduction of commercial infrared-triggered cameras in the early 1990s, their use has increased. With advancements in the quality of camera equipment, this method of field observation has become more popular among researchers. Hunting has played an important role in development of camera traps, since hunters use them to scout for game. These hunters have opened a commercial market for the devices, leading to many improvements over time. The great advantage of camera traps

567-724: The licks in different ways allowing for the study of animal behavior . To study more specific behaviors of a particular species, it is helpful to identify the target species' runs, dens, beds, latrines, food caches, favored hunting and foraging grounds, etc. Knowledge of the target species' general habits, seasonal variations in behavior and habitat use, as well as its tracks, scat, feeding sign, and other spoor are extremely helpful in locating and identifying these sites, and this strategy has been described in great detail for many species. Bait may be used to attract desired species. However type, frequency and method of presentation require careful consideration. Another major factor in whether this

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594-453: The most vocal. Wireless transmission allows images and videos to be sent using cellular networks, so users can view activity instantly without disturbing their targets. The use of invisible flash "No-Glow" IR leverages 940   nm infrared waves to illuminate a night image without being detected by humans or wildlife. These waves are outside of the visible light spectrum so the subject doesn't know they are being watched. Humidity has

621-493: The mountains in the 1960s. Camera trap A camera trap is a camera that is automatically triggered by motion in its vicinity, like the presence of an animal or a human being. It is typically equipped with a motion sensor – usually a passive infrared (PIR) sensor or an active infrared (AIR) sensor using an infrared light beam. Camera traps are a type of remote cameras used to capture images of wildlife with as little human interference as possible. Camera trapping

648-526: The presence of the Northwest African cheetah in the region. Between August 2008 and November 2010, four individuals were recorded by camera traps . A single cheetah was filmed and photographed by Algerian naturalists in 2020 in the national park in the Atakor volcanic field whose peaks approach a height of 3,000 metres (9,800 ft). The park also contains a population of herbivores such as

675-522: The research. One of the most common things is that animals unknowingly topple a camera or splatter it with mud or water ruining the film or lens . One other method of animal tampering involves the animals themselves taking the cameras for their own uses. There are examples of some animals actually taking the cameras and snapping pictures of themselves. Local people sometimes use the same game trails as wildlife, and hence are also photographed by camera traps placed along these trails. This can make camera traps

702-565: The saharan subspecies of the barbary sheep and the Dorcas gazelle . The park has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports significant populations of spotted , crowned and Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse , Pharaoh eagle-owls , pallid harriers , greater hoopoe-larks , bar-tailed and desert larks , pale rock martins , fulvous babblers , white-crowned and mourning wheatears , desert sparrows and trumpeter finches . Prehistoric settlement

729-542: The well-being and survival rate of animals can be observed over time. Camera traps are helpful in determining behavioral and activity patterns of animals, such as which time of day they visit mineral licks . Camera traps are also useful to record animal migrations. The earliest models used traditional film and a one-shot trigger function. These cameras contained film that needed to be collected and developed like any other standard camera. Today, more advanced cameras utilize digital photography , sending photos directly to

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