MICA - Muskrat and coypu camera trap observations in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany

Emma Cartuyvels1, Tim Adriaens1, Kristof Baert1, Warre Baert2, Gust Boiten2, Dimitri Brosens1, Jim Casaer1, Bram D'hondt1, Abel De Boer2, Manon Debrabandere2, Sander Devisscher1, Dennis Donckers2, Silke Dupont1, Wouter Franceus2, Heiko Fritz2, Lilja Fromme2, Friederike Gethöffer2, Jan Gouwy1, Casper Herbots2, Frank Huysentruyt1, Leo Kehl2, Liam Letheren2, Lydia Liebgott2, Yorick Liefting3, Jan Lodewijkx2, Claudia Maistrelli2, Björn Matthies2, Kelly Meijvisch2, Dolf Moerkens4, Axel Neukermans1, Brecht Neukermans2, Jelle Ronsijn2, Kurt Schamp1, Dan Slootmaekers2, Linda Tiggelman2, Sanne Van Donink1, Danny Van der beeck2, Peter Desmet1

1 Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), ; 2 ; 3 Wageningen University, ; 4 Unie van Waterschappen, 

Corresponding author(s): Emma Cartuyvels (emma.cartuyvels@inbo.be)Tim Adriaens (tim.adriaens@inbo.be)Kristof Baert (kristof.baert@inbo.be)Warre BaertGust Boiten (gustboiten@hotmail.com)Dimitri Brosens (dimitri.brosens@inbo.be)Jim Casaer (jim.casaer@inbo.be)Bram D'hondt (bram.dhondt@inbo.be)Abel De Boer (adeboer@wetterskipfryslan.nl)Manon Debrabandere (manon.debrabandere@hotmail.com)Sander Devisscher (sander.devisscher@inbo.be)Dennis Donckers (dennis.donckers2@telenet.be)Silke Dupont (silke.dupont@inbo.be)Wouter FranceusHeiko Fritz (foersterheiko@gmx.de)Lilja Fromme (lilja.fromme@gmail.com)Friederike Gethöffer (friederike.gethoeffer@tiho-hannover.de)Jan Gouwy (jan.gouwy@inbo.be)Casper HerbotsFrank Huysentruyt (frank.huysentruyt@inbo.be)Leo Kehl (leo.kehl@tiho-hannover.de)Liam Letheren (ljletheren@hotmail.co.uk)Lydia Liebgott (lydia.liebgott@tiho-hannover.de)Yorick Liefting (yorick.liefting@wur.nl)Jan Lodewijkx (j.lodewijkx@vmm.be)Claudia Maistrelli (claudia.maistrelli@tiho-hannover.de)Björn Matthies (bjoern.matthies@lwk-niedersachsen.de)Kelly Meijvisch (kelly.meijvisch@outlook.be)Dolf Moerkens (dmoerkens@uvw.nl)Axel Neukermans (axel.neukermans@inbo.be)Brecht NeukermansJelle RonsijnKurt Schamp (kurt.schamp@inbo.be)Dan Slootmaekers (d.slootmaekers@vmm.be)Linda Tiggelman (l.tiggelman@wsrl.nl)Sanne Van Donink (sanne.vandonink@inbo.be)Danny Van der beeck (daniel.vanderbeeck@gmail.com)Peter Desmet (peter.desmet@inbo.be)

Received {date}; Revised {date}; Accepted {date}; Published {date}

Citation: Combination of authors, year of data paper publication (in parentheses), Title, Journal Name, Volume, Issue number (in parentheses), and doi of the data paper.

Resource Citation

Cartuyvels E, Adriaens T, Baert K, Baert W, Boiten G, Brosens D, Casaer J, D'hondt B, De Boer A, Debrabandere M, Devisscher S, Donckers D, Dupont S, Franceus W, Fritz H, Fromme L, Gethöffer F, Gouwy J, Herbots C, Huysentruyt F, Kehl L, Letheren L, Liebgott L, Liefting Y, Lodewijkx J, Maistrelli C, Matthies B, Meijvisch K, Moerkens D, Neukermans A, Neukermans B, Ronsijn J, Schamp K, Slootmaekers D, Tiggelman L, Van Donink S, Van der beeck D, Desmet P (2023). MICA - Muskrat and coypu camera trap observations in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Version 1.11. Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). Occurrence dataset. https://doi.org/10.15468/5tb6ze https://doi.org/10.15468/5tb6ze

Abstract

This camera trap dataset is derived from the <a href="https://www.agouti.eu">Agouti</a> project <em>MICA - Management of Invasive Coypu and muskrAt in Europe</em>. Data have been standardized to Darwin Core using the <a href="https://inbo.github.io/camtraptor/">camtraptor</a> R package and only include observations (and associated media) of animals. Excluded are records that document blank or unclassified media, vehicles and observations of humans. Geospatial coordinates are rounded to 0.001 degrees. The original dataset description follows.
<em>MICA - Muskrat and coypu camera trap observations in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany</em> is an occurrence dataset published by the Research Institute of Nature and Forest (INBO). It is part of the LIFE project MICA, in which innovative techniques are tested for a more efficient control of muskrat and coypu populations, both invasive species. The dataset contains camera trap observations of muskrat and coypu, as well as many other observed species. Issues with the dataset can be reported at <a href="https://github.com/inbo/mica-occurrences/issues">https://github.com/inbo/mica-occurrences/issues</a>
We have released this dataset to the public domain under a Creative Commons Zero waiver. We would appreciate it if you follow the INBO norms for data use (https://www.inbo.be/en/norms-data-use) when using the data. If you have any questions regarding this dataset, don't hesitate to contact us via the contact information provided in the metadata or via opendata@inbo.be.
This dataset was collected using infrastructure provided by INBO and funded by Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO) as part of the Belgian contribution to LifeWatch. The data were collected as part of the MICA project, which received funding from the European Union’s LIFE Environment sub-programme under the grant agreement LIFE18 NAT/NL/001047. The dataset was published with funding from Stichting NLBIF - Netherlands Biodiversity Information Facility.

Keywords: camera traps, public awareness campaign, flood protection, flood control, damage prevention, animal damage, pest control, invasive alien species, muskrat, coypu, Occurrence, Observation

Project details

Project title: MICA - Management of Invasive Coypu and muskrAt in Europe
Personnel: Emma Cartuyvels
Funding: LIFE programme
Study area descriptions/descriptor: Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany
Design description: This project uses a targeted sampling design. Animals are unmarked and camera traps are triggered with motion detection and time lapse. Media are classified at sequence level.

Data published through GBIF: https://ipt.inbo.be/resource?r=mica-agouti-occurrences

Taxonomic coverage

General taxonomic coverage description: The target species for this dataset are Ondatra zibethicus and Myocastor coypus, but many other species have been observed as well.
Taxonomic ranks
Species: Accipiter gentilis, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, Acrocephalus scirpaceus, Aix galericulata, Alcedo atthis, Alopochen aegyptiaca, Anas clypeata, Anas crecca, Anas penelope, Anas platyrhynchos, Anas strepera, Anser anser, Apodemus sylvaticus, Ardea alba, Ardea cinerea, Arvicola amphibius, Aythya fuligula, Bos taurus, Botaurus stellaris, Branta canadensis, Cairina moschata, Capreolus capreolus, Castor fiber, Cervus elaphus, Chroicocephalus ridibundus, Coloeus monedula, Columba oenas, Columba palumbus, Corvus corax, Corvus corone, Cyanistes caeruleus, Cygnus olor, Cyprinus carpio, Dendrocopos major, Equus caballus, Erinaceus europaeus, Erithacus rubecula, Felis catus, Fringilla coelebs, Fringilla montifringilla, Fulica atra, Gallinago gallinago, Gallinula chloropus, Garrulus glandarius, Homo sapiens, Lepus europaeus, Luscinia svecica, Lutra lutra, Martes foina, Martes martes, Meles meles, Motacilla cinerea, Mustela erminea, Mustela nivalis, Mustela putorius, Myocastor coypus, Myodes glareolus, Ondatra zibethicus, Oryctolagus cuniculus, Ovis aries, Parus major, Phalacrocorax carbo, Phasianus colchicus, Phoenicurus phoenicurus, Pica pica, Picus viridis, Podiceps cristatus, Procyon lotor, Prunella modularis, Rallus aquaticus, Rattus norvegicus, Sciurus vulgaris, Scolopax rusticola, Strix aluco, Sturnus vulgaris, Sus scrofa, Sylvia atricapilla, Tachybaptus ruficollis, Tadorna ferruginea, Tadorna tadorna, Tringa ochropus, Troglodytes troglodytes, Turdus iliacus, Turdus merula, Turdus philomelos, Tyto alba, Vulpes vulpes

Spatial coverage

General spatial coverage: Belgium (Flanders), The Netherlands and Germany.
Coordinates: 50°41'56.4''N and 53°24'25.2''N Latitude; 3°31'4.8''E and 8°19'48''E Longitude 

Temporal coverage: September 18, 2019 - September 27, 2023

Methods

Method step description: n/a
Study extent description: Four locations in Flanders and one in Germany were sampled using 26 camera traps in Flanders and 7 in Germany. These camera traps were located in areas where the presence of muskrat and/or coypu was suspected. The camera traps are motion triggered and therefore also collected images of other animals found in these locations.
Sampling description: A standard protocol (https://lifemica.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Protocol-camera-traps.pdf) was followed to choose the location for the traps. The setup of camera traps was standardised for water habitat. Subsequently, 33 camera traps were deployed in four locations in Flanders and one in Germany. Once a month images were collected from the camera traps and uploaded to Agouti. Project members scored the images in Agouti.
Quality control description: Data are collected using a predefined sampling protocol. All observations of muskrats, coypu, brown rats and European water voles are cross-validated by experienced project members.

Datasets

Dataset description
Object name: Darwin Core Archive MICA - Muskrat and coypu camera trap observations in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany
Character encoding: UTF-8
Format name: Darwin Core Archive format
Format version: 1.0
Distribution: https://ipt.inbo.be/archive.do?r=mica-agouti-occurrences
Publication date of data: 2023-11-23
Language: English
Licences of use: Public Domain (CC0 1.0)

Metadata language: English
Date of metadata creation: 2023-11-22
Hierarchy level: Dataset