SNAPPED: Trail cams capture the secret lives of wildlife on Swaner Preserve

Mama and baby moose at night on the Swaner preserve. Photo: Swaner Preserve Trail Cam

PARK CITY, Utah — The wetlands of the Swaner Preserve are host to 52 different animal species and an additional 170 species of birds. Many of the animals are drawn to the preserve’s wetlands, with moose munching on willows and beavers building their homes in the waters. 

But as the seasons change, so do the animals who reside on the preserve. One of the ways the Swaner team monitors wildlife activity on the preserve is through “camera traps,” or trail cameras — motion-triggered devices that capture thousands of images of wildlife going about their business. 

The trail cameras are essential tools for the Swaner conservation team to “monitor wildlife and track animal behavior without disturbing natural habitats,” said Cone. The captured images give them insight into which animals are using the preserve and when.

“As the weather cools, wildlife are less active on average as they conserve their energy,” explains Rhea Cone, Swaner’s Conservation Director. “Beavers, while busy in the summer swimming back and forth in front of our cameras working on their dams and lodges, pop out far less frequently. Ice covering streams and ponds can also make it harder to spot beavers and muskrats, although if we are clever with our placement, we can pick up photos of them accessing their food caches.”

Birds also become less present on the preserve as many species migrate south for winter, though owls and many birds of prey will remain through the winter. The conservation crew will often place cameras near carcasses to capture these scavengers at work. 

Other species, however, become more visible during the colder months. Elk spend the hotter months at higher elevations, but will venture down to the preserve as the snow starts to fly, according to Cone. “Each winter is different from the last, and sometimes we see the elk on and off or sometimes there are 50 or more spending the whole winter on the preserve. We will get a lot of elk photos in the winter, and they often rub up against the posts and cameras, leading to some closeups.” 

Each season brings a new cast of wildlife to the preserve, and with the help of their trail cameras, the Swaner team continues to document and protect the delicate balance of life that thrives just beyond Park City’s backyard.

See more trail cam photos on the Swaner Preserve’s website.