Parks Canada monitors wildlife through sturdy cameras

Parks Canada has set up motion-activated cameras in Banff National Park to help keep track of wildlife.

The sturdy, weather-proof cameras are mounted on trees in rock cairns along hiking and game trails.

When an animal passes through a camera’s infrared beam, an image is captured.

Parks Canada says the system is less intrusive than using other tracking systems such as radio collars.

Information gleaned from the images will help the park make decisions about trail use, controlled forest fires and reintroducing species such as caribou and bison.