Camera trap study on inventory and daily activity patterns of large mammals in a mixed forest in north-western Turkey

This study aimed to detect the presence and the daily activity patterns of large mammals in a mixed forest in north-western Turkey. Field studies were carried out at 21 camera trap stations with a total sampling effort of 1046 camera trap days, covering an area of approximately 70 km2 between June 2009 and January 2010. Brown bear (Ursus arctos), wolf (Canis lupus), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), red deer (Cervus elaphus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), European badger (Meles meles) and European hare (Lepus europaeus) were not known to be present in the area. European hare was the most captured species among the others and Eurasian lynx was the most captured carnivore. There was a positive relationship between spatial distributions and daily activity patterns of European hare and Eurasian lynx. European hare, Eurasian lynx and red fox were found to have nocturnal activity in the study area. The number of records between the activity classes (nocturnal and diurnal) did not differ for red deer and wolf. This study revealed the ecological importance of the area by determining both the species present in this area and their activity patterns.