Camera Trapping and Sampling Design: A Synthesis of Current Evidence

ABSTRACT Introduction Camera trapping (CT) has revolutionized wildlife monitoring, generating an unprecedented amount of data on animal activity, occurrence and density. With the broadening scope and application of CT research, standardized evidence‐based guidelines on study design become pivotal to ensure robust inference and comparability. Aims We aimed to collect evidence on how sampling design choices affect CT‐based inference across four metrics widely used in wildlife monitoring: detection rate, diel activity, occupancy and density of unmarked populations. Methods We searched the literature using a systematic approach based on five targeted queries linking CT methodology to sampling design across the four focal metrics, retaining only studies involving CT and exploring at least one design aspect. We quantified how often each design choice–metric combination had been examined, identifying knowledge gaps. Results and Discussion Within the 75 articles obtained, coverage was uneven across metrics and design choices. Diel activity was notably underrepresented compared to the other metrics, despite its widespread use. Number of sampling locations and deployment duration were extensively assessed, especially in relation to occupancy, whereas the effects of spatial study design, camera spacing and time‐lapse settings remain largely unexplored. We synthesize available evidence on the effects of spatial study design, targeted VS untargeted deployment, number and spacing of cameras, deployment duration, attractant use, camera height and motion‐trigger VS time‐lapse settings on CT inference. Based on this evidence, we synthesize existing guidelines and provide practical, metric‐specific recommendations to guide survey planning. Outlining the key considerations for designing a camera‐trapping study, we hope to provide managers, researchers and practitioners with a best‐practice guide for sampling design.