Previous workshops

Camera traps are widely used for studying terrestrial animal populations. Several methods exist for analysis of camera trap data to estimate animal abundance. This workshop, through lectures and computer exercises, provides training in survey design and the analysis of camera trap data to produce abundance estimates. Register by 30 September.

• Considering the use of distance sampling for population assessment?
• Wish to have individual attention learning to analyse distance sampling data sets?
• Curious about variants of distance sampling that may suit your specific goals?
• Interested in using R for your distance sampling analysis?

If so, consider taking the live online version of our distance sampling training.

Conventional distance sampling methods assume that all animals at zero distance are detected with certainty. However, in some situations this assumption is violated, and some animals are missed, causing a negative bias in the density and abundance estimates.

This occurs on some shipboard surveys of marine mammals, for example, where animals may be missed on the trackline because they are underwater while the survey vessel passes, or because the sea conditions are rough so that even some animals right on the line are missed. Bias due to the former (being underwater and so not available for detection) is often called availability bias and the latter perception bias.

In this two-day workshop, we cover survey protocols and analytical methods for dealing with both perception bias and availability bias. The workshop is intended for those already familiar with the basics of distance sampling.

Does the following describe your situation?

• Considering the use of distance sampling for population assessment?
• Wish to have individual attention learning to analyse distance sampling data sets?
• Curious about variants of distance sampling that may suit your specific goals?
• Interested in using R for your distance sampling analysis?

If so, take the live online version of our distance sampling training.

Use of distance sampling theory for analysis of camera trap data does not require identification of individual animals to estimate abundance, making it applicable to a much larger set of species. This workshop, through lectures and computer exercises, provides training in survey design and the analysis of camera trap data to produce abundance estimates.

Camera traps are widely used for studying terrestrial animal populations. Several methods exist for analysis of camera trap data to estimate animal abundance. Use of distance sampling theory for analysis of camera trap data does not require identification of individual animals to estimate abundance, making it applicable to a much larger set of species. This workshop, through lectures and computer exercises, provides training in survey design and the analysis of camera trap data to produce abundance estimates.

Does the following describe your situation?

• Considering the use of distance sampling for population assessment?
• Wish to have individual attention learning to analyse distance sampling data sets?
• Curious about variants of distance sampling that may suit your specific goals?
• Interested in using R for your distance sampling analysis?

If so, consider taking the live online version of our distance sampling training.

The training workshop is intended to teach the fundamental principles of design and analysis of animal abundance using data derived from camera traps. In association with the principles, computer exercises will guide participants through survey design, fitting detection functions to detections, performing model selection, estimating temporal availability of animals and computing measures of uncertainty. This is the first of a pair of planned workshops, with the second expected to take place in March 2022. 

Does the following describe your situation? Considering the use of distance sampling for population assessment? Wish to have individual attention learning to analyse distance sampling data sets? Curious about variants of distance sampling that may suit your specific goals? Interested in using R for your distance sampling analysis? If so, consider taking the live online version of our distance sampling training.

Good survey design is critical for obtaining reliable results in distance sampling surveys and meeting survey objectives. This workshop expands on the basic theory provided in our introductory workshops to demonstrate how our latest software can be used to generate optimal survey designs while respecting budgetary and logistical constraints. (13,14, 16 September, with 15 September for self-study)