Wildlife After Dark: Camera Trapping in Mount Ida
The Kaz Mountains, close to my hometown of Çanakkale, are home to a rich and often hidden wildlife community. Being familiar with the region gave me an advantage in identifying animal trails and locations where wildlife regularly moves. Rather than actively searching for the animals, I selected several of these trails and installed my camera trap system, leaving the forest to reveal what passed through when no one was around.
Unlike conventional trail cameras, my setup combines a DSLR camera with a Camtraptions motion sensor and external flashes. When an animal crosses the sensor, the system automatically triggers the camera and flashes, making it possible to capture much higher-quality images while keeping human disturbance to a minimum. I built the setup around a protective housing containing the camera, with the sensor and flash system positioned around the trail depending on the location.
The first successful encounters included a red fox moving through one of the trails, followed by a golden jackal at another location. Later, the same approach also revealed a stone marten a secretive and mostly nocturnal species that can be difficult to photograph through conventional wildlife photography. Together, these images offered a small glimpse into the wildlife moving quietly through the forests of the Kaz Mountains when people are not there to see it.
