Data from: Improving manual tagging of camera trap videos for wildlife studies: A visual assistance tool applied to the endangered huillãn (Lontra provocax)
Data files
Feb 24, 2026 version files 310.23 KB
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CAICaT_processed_data.csv
283.74 KB
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Comparison_Manual_vs_CAICaT.csv
131 B
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Data_for_table2.csv
538 B
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Error_Data.csv
10.41 KB
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README.md
4.41 KB
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Responses_to_questionaire.xlsx
11.01 KB
Abstract
In the last few decades, the use of camera traps for wildlife studies has increased significantly due to advancements in technology, leading to cost reduction and improved reliability. They facilitate the study of wild animals in their natural environment in a minimally invasive manner, eliminating the need for researchers to remain in the field for long periods of time and to stay alert for extended hours. While their use is not too complex, data analysis often represents a bottleneck that demands considerable effort. When cameras are used to obtain videos, the first step upon retrieving information from them is to sort the videos, name them in a standardized manner, identify the content of each file, and label them to organize the information for subsequent data analysis. This process is laborious and repetitive, often leading to human errors that later hinder analysis. In this work, an easy-to-use, customizable semi-automated video processing and tagging software is presented alongside camera trap data analysis from sites used by an endangered otter species (Lontra provocax). With its use, we were able to process over three thousand video files in a short time, finding that in the area under study (Nahuel Huapi National Park) all otter sites were also used by american minks, foxes, domestic dogs and cats. In a particular site a detailed analysis provided data showing a nocturnal pattern of use for the site. When compared to manual data processing the semi-automated process improved efficiency, overall user experience, and reduced the cognitive load associated with manual tagging. The aim of this work was to develop a versatile and user-friendly yet powerful solution to the typical tasks associated with the analysis of camera trap videos. The dataset provides supporting data for the results presented in the article. It cosnsists of the data asociated to each figure and table in the paper. All data are related to the analysis of video files obtained from trail cameras.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.12jm63zbn
Description of the data and file structure
The data were collected to understand the usefulness of CAICaT, a program aimed at assisting users in processing and labeling camera trap videos
Files and variables
File: CAICaT_processed_data.csv
Description: This file contains the media data for 3000+ videos obtained with camera traps located at sites known to be used by huillines, and endangered South American river otter (no coordinates are provided to protect these endangered animals). The column "Taxon present" indicates the animal tag that was observed in the video. Setup refers to the presence of researchers while setting up or removing the cameras. These data were also used to generate the graphs in Figure 6 of the corresponding manuscript. The value "n/a" refers to data "not avilable" for columns "sunrise", "sunset", and "photoperiodic phase", corresponding to older datasets for which these data were not collected.
Variables
- Taxon present in file, count, Site, Camera, Year, Month, Day, Hours, Minutes, and Photoperiodic phase
File: Comparison_Manual_vs_CAICaT.csv
Description: Data from an experiment with 6 volunteers that processed 60 files manually and with the aid of CAICaT. The data represents the total time taken to process the files manually or with the software. These data were used to generate figure 4 of the paper.
Variables
- Independent: Tester
- Dependent: Time taken in manual mode, Time taken using CAICaT
File: Data_for_table2.csv
Description: These data represent a summary of the data presented in CAICaT_processed_data.xlsx, and was used as table2 in the paper
Variables
- Independent: sites (BLE01, BLE02, LIM0, LIM02, LIM03, LIM04, LPT0, LPT02, LPT03, LPT04
- Dependent: Number of events triggered by a certain animal or situation
File: Error_Data.csv
Description: Data used to calculate the errors when using CAICaT as an assistance to process and tag videos from camera traps. In this case 1000+ videos were processed by two different users and 200 of those were randomly selected as ground truth by manually processing them and carefully confirming the triggering cause.
The table contains the data for those 200 videos for both users and the errors each one had. An error is marked by a value of 1 and no error by a value of 0 in the error columns. The value "n/a" refers to data "not avilable" for data form files that were not analysed by the corresponding user.
Variables
- Index, Video hash, tag_gt (ground truth), tag_u1 (user 1), tag_u2 (user 2), error_u1, error_u2
File: Responses_to_questionaire.xlsx
Description: This file contains th responses of the volunteers that used CAICaT for the comparisson between assisted and manual mode, to a questionaire aimed at evaluating the usefulness of the software. The value "n/a" refers to data "not avilable" for questions that were not answered by the participants.
Variables
- Q1: How difficult was it for you to process the images provided using the CAICaT method?
- Q2: How difficult was it for you to process the images provided using the manual method?
- Q3: Considering that in the trial you processed 30 images using the CAICaT method, how many images do you think you could process continuously without getting tired?
- Q4: Considering that in the trial you processed 30 images using the manual method, how many images do you think you could process continuously without getting tired?
- Q5: What advantages and disadvantages do you identify for each method?
- Q6: For processing camera trap videos, how useful do you find the CAICaT method?
- Q7: If you work with camera traps, would you use the CAICaT method to analyze the videos obtained?
- Q8: Would you add, remove, or modify anything in the CAICaT method?
- Q9: Comments
Code/software
Any software capable of reading and analyzing xlsx files can be used to view our data. We used Excel 2019 on a Windows 11 computer.
Access information
Other publicly accessible locations of the data:
- No other accessible locations of the data except by asking for it to the authors