Camera trap sightings at the carcass on the estate
With a variety of different scavenging species found on the estate, now and then when we do have a carcass available (due to an animal having died of natural caused or have been humanely euthanized), the carcass is placed out for them and a camera trap is placed to monitor movement around the carcass. Over September we had a camera trap set up at a red hartebeest carcass that died of old age.
A variety of animals were seen visiting and passing the carcass. Some are regular visitors to the carcass for daily feeding like the slender tail mongooses. Various bird species such as glossy eye starlings also visit the carcass for the insects associated with the decomposition process regularly. Pied crows were seen on the carcass a few times to come and eat both carrion and insects. Some other antelope like the duiker was seen passing by from time to time during both day and night. A regular visitor in the evenings was a porcupine. Daily he was spotted moving past or around the carcass. A hedgehog was seen passing by every other night for some insects as well. Special sightings at the carcass are rare and sometimes missed by the camera trap. For this carcass over the 30 days of monitoring, the special sightings included a small-spotted genet on two of the evenings and a cape fox on one evening.