Wildlife Camera Photos

Nahanni National Park Reserve is home to an extensive population of wildlife including 42 mammal species, approximately 180 birds, 16 fishes, and a few amphibians. This included 10 species of special concern. One piece of equipment that is used to monitor wildlife throughout the rugged mountainous terrain of Nahanni National Park Reserve is wildlife cameras. These cameras help park ecologists identify wildlife movement patterns, habitat use, populations, and overall health. Our Resource Conservation team place these cameras at strategic locations within wildlife habitats, when an animal walks by, they trigger an infrared motion detector, and the animals take their own pictures!

Park staff then download the images from the cameras, which detail the location, date/time, and other relevant information. The images are classified by species, age, sex, and number of animals in the group. This information is maintained in Nahanni’s wildlife camera database and used to monitor wildlife populations and activity throughout the Nahʔą Dehé region (South Nahanni River).

Remote cameras are set up throughout the park and are serviced on a yearly basis by our staff. The most notable camera array is in area surrounding the Howards Pass Access Road which is primarily used to monitor caribou movement along the Northwest Territories/Yukon border. As mine operations at Tungsten come to an end, the camera’s deployed in this area will continue to provide valuable data about caribou populations, and impact of road traffic on wildlife behaviour.

Wildlife cameras can also be found at Glacier Lake, Gahnįhthah Mįe (Rabbitkettle Lake), and other areas within the Nahʔą Dehé Ts’ç Tu Zhánîlî (Greater Nahanni Ecosystem). You may even see cameras deployed on hiking trails; these are important for monitoring trail use by both humans and wildlife. All pictures of people are deleted once the type of activity and number of users are recorded. If you come across any wildlife cameras in the park, please do not disturb them.

These cameras offer a unique view into the world of Nahanni’s extensive wildlife populations. These cameras give us the ability to monitor the animals with minimal disturbances to their natural rhythms and routines. Please explore the image gallery to see a few of the amazing shots of wildlife our cameras have captured over the years!