Thanks to a generous donation from members of the Friends of Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve and a matching grant from the City of San Diego, the Los Peñasquitos Tracking Team was the first of the San Diego Tracking Team member teams to purchase remote sensing cameras and introduce them as a complement to our wildlife surveys.

These cameras operate using infrared technology, automatically taking photos of any animals passing through the infrared beam.

After evaluating several different makes of camera systems, and talking to wildlife biologists who have used remote sensing cameras in their fieldwork, the LPTT purchased 12 CamTrakker camera systems which are now being used to collect additional data for their Mule Deer study. Using the photos, they have been able to identify specific deer use areas within the Preserve, record deer movement times and frequencies, and collect additional data to aid in their deer herd composition estimates.

The LPTT cameras are also being used to monitor key wildlife corridors connecting the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve with other adjacent open space areas. Furthermore, other tracking teams and individuals have also purchased cameras which are being used in other areas of the county to verify wildlife corridor or undercrossing usage. While this information can also be obtained by tracking, the photographs provide tangible evidence that needs no interpretation.