Camera trapping of mammals in the Cantabrian Mountains (Spain)

[Description of methods used for collection/generation of data] We deployed 12 trail cameras in Montaña Palentina (Acorn LTL5310 (Shenzhen, China) =9; Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Black Led (Kansas, USA) = 3) and 12 in Alto Sil (Acorn LTL5310 (Shenzhen, China) =9; Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Black Led (Kansas, USA) = 2, and Browning Dark OPS (Herstal, Belgium) = 1), between July and September 2023 (ca. 60 days per camera) aiming at detecting European wildcats. Inside each location, cameras were distributed within an area of roughly 2000 Has at distances of ca. 1500 m from each other, as this procedure is reliable to estimate European wildcat densities (Gil-Sánchez et al., 2015). Cameras were placed 30-50 cm above ground pointing perpendicularly at paths naturally used by wild animals and from which they were 2-3 m away. An open Eppendorf tube filled with Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) urine was buried in front of each camera, aiming at causing European wildcats to stop in front of the camera to optimize identification of individuals based on pelage patterns. Cameras were checked ca. every 20 days to download pictures and replace the batteries and urine (i.e. 2 reviews after deployment and finally camera retrieval). All cameras were programmed to take a burst of three pictures per trigger. Sensitivity was set to low to minimize the excess of triggers caused by sun glares or moving branches. Cameras used natural and infrared light during day and night triggers respectively.

[Methods for processing the data] Pictures were sorted following the methodology of R package CamtrapR (Niedballa et al. 2016) in order to extract metadata (date and time of the picture). Humans and birds were not included.

[EN] This dataset provides the raw results of a mammalian survey campaign using trail cameras conducted between July and September 2023 (1495 trap-nights) simultaneously in Montaña Palentina Natural Park (Palencia, Spain) and Alto Sil (León, Spain). The main objective of the survey was to detect and estimate population numbers for European wildcats (Felis silvestris), but several small and large mammal species (Carnivora, Artiodactyla, Rodentia and Lagomorpha) were detected.

[ES] Este conjunto de datos proporciona los resultados brutos de la campaña de fototrampeo desarrollada entre Julio y Septiembre de 2023 (1495 noches-trampa) de forma simultánea en el Parque Natural de Montaña Palentina (MNPN, Palencia, España) y el Alto Sil (León, Spain). El principal objetivo del muestreo era detectar y estimar números poblacionales en el gato montés europeo (Felis silvestris), pero otras especies de mamíferos (Carnivora, Artiodactyla, Rodentia and Lagomorpha) también fueron detectadas.

This study was funded by a contract of collaboration between Fundación Reina Sofia and CSIC, the MICINN through the European Regional Development Fund [SUMHAL, LIFEWATCH-2019-09-CSIC-04, POPE 2014-2020], and Land Rover España.

Peer reviewed