decade-Long Camera Trap Yields Rare Wildlife Insights in Yellowstone
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WY – A wildlife enthusiast’s decade-long experiment in remote camera trapping has yielded a trove of surprising footage revealing detailed animal behavior within a Yellowstone National Park cave den. The project, initiated by Anderson – known online as @grizzlyguy – captured ten years of continuous footage before the camera was ultimately destroyed by a bear.
The core of the project was a Reconyx Ultrafire camera trap, selected for its durability and extended battery life. The camera’s weatherproof housing and 1080p HD video capacity with audio allowed it to withstand the challenging conditions within the den, located in one of the harshest environments imaginable. These camera traps are frequently utilized by wildlife researchers and filmmakers for long-term, unobtrusive observation in remote locations, capable of enduring extreme temperatures and rugged terrain.
While initially intended to document grizzly bears, the camera recorded a diverse range of wildlife activity. Moast notably, a mountain lion exhibited repeated, almost obsessive, returns to the den, providing a rare glimpse into its behavior and territorial habits.
“This kind of finding is what drives me,” Anderson stated. “I’ve spent my life locating wild places and setting up cameras to quietly observe what unfolds when no one is around.”
The footage also documented visits from coyotes and smaller mammals utilizing the den. Despite the camera’s eventual destruction, the recovered footage is being hailed as a success, offering valuable insights into the area’s wildlife.
