Trail Camera Research: McLennan Community College

McLennan Community College uses camera trap studies primarily in General Biology for Science Majors II, which is an organismal biology course. Students work in groups to develop and conduct novel research. Many choose camera trap studies to monitor species and frequencies of animals in McLenann County, Texas. Some choose to further pursue these studies in independent study projects. A student choose to do an independent study, and observed the mutualistic behavior between feral hogs and raccoons at established deer feeders. Lone feral hogs would run other hogs away from the deer feeder and were rewarded by raccoons who would press the button to set the feeder off, thus feeding the hog. This behavior was seen multiple times and continues to be seen by hunters using others cameras. Other students have studied Great-tailed grackle numbers, distribution,  and behaviors; raccoon dietary preferences; raccoon frequencies per night at a newly baited sites; and animal frequencies on our campus.