Some of my best photos come my trusty trap (trail) camera. I try to conceal the camera as best I can but I am surprised that how many birds and animals seem to be aware of it’s presence such as the examples below. This echidna had a very close look at the camera https://www.inaturalist.org/observ…

@colincroft has some interesting ones, like this Mountain Lion: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/111058237

Many animals, especially nocturnal and crepuscular ones can see the IR from the camera, in large part due to the cameras using a cheap filter approach to making the IR light. In conservation there are some efforts to use IR lighting using lights that actually only emit in specific frequencies and h…

A few from near me (not my observations though): Brush-tail possum: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/324990698 Ring-tail possum: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/202753308 Sugar glider (now called Krefft’s glider): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/152686306

Here’s a duiker I found through a camera trap study. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/331096597 Which reminds me, I was helping another student with their field study. They had multiple camera traps placed around different areas of a game reserve in South Africa. I was helping him to retri…

I would like to nominate the observation ( I and another identifier made the ID) in iNaturalist which has a video link as well: You know that the Mule Deer “know” they are on (trail cam) camera - to the point of playful chasing - seems to be showing off; and in one segment - the stotting behavior - …

Here are several of my own: White-tail deer buck: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/333771177 White-tailed deer doe: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/333771128 Coyote: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/333771126 Gray Fox: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/3337711…

I agree with your choice (I’m happily jealous of how animal behavior is picked by colincroft’s observations and trail cam videos - see my pick - re: Mule Deer “playing” chase in front of the camera (they act like they ‘know’ its there)

I don’t know if this is just with regard to trail cameras–if that’s the case, I can delete this response. Deer often see me and the camera. Here are two: Buck Doe I was standing within a few feet of both. I usually enjoy seeing them up close. This past summer though, I was out for a walk when a f…

White-tailed deer often look right at the camera https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/254526943 Virginia opossum (under the porch) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/63318247 Groundhog (under the porch) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/56669035

Something tells me this deer knew it was on camera

When observation subjects know they are on camera

Nature Talk

tiwane February 2, 2026, 3:53pm 12

(moved to Nature Talk and edit the title slightly so that it refers to observation subjects)

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When observation subjects know they are on camera

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