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SNAPSHOT USA 2019–2023: The first five years of data from a coordinated camera trap survey of the United States

Published Article

United States

Publication date: January 27, 2025

File format: URL

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SNAPSHOT USA is a multiyear, multicontributor camera‑trap survey capturing nearly one million image‑sequence records across all 50 U.S. states. Designed to track mammal responses to land‑use change, land‑cover shifts and climate variation, the dataset spans 2019–2023 and includes deployment metadata from 9,694 camera sites across 12 ecoregions. Focused primarily on medium‑ and large‑bodied mammals, the dataset supports research on spatial and temporal trends in relative abundance, distribution and daily activity, as well as species interactions. Available through Wildlife Insights, SNAPSHOT USA provides a foundational resource for continental‑scale wildlife monitoring and ecological research.

Subject Tags

  • Climate impacts
  • Conservation Technology
  • Wildlife

Abstract

Motivation

SNAPSHOT USA is an annual, multicontributor camera trap survey of mammals across the United States. The growing SNAPSHOT USA dataset is intended for tracking the spatial and temporal responses of mammal populations to changes in land use, land cover and climate. These data will be useful for exploring the drivers of spatial and temporal changes in relative abundance and distribution, as well as the impacts of species interactions on daily activity patterns.

Main Types of Variables Contained

SNAPSHOT USA 2019–2023 contains 987,979 records of camera trap image sequence data and 9694 records of camera trap deployment metadata.

Spatial Location and Grain

Data were collected across the United States of America in all 50 states, 12 ecoregions and many ecosystems.

Time Period and Grain

Data were collected between 1st August and 29th December each year from 2019 to 2023.

Major Taxa and Level of Measurement

The dataset includes a wide range of taxa but is primarily focused on medium to large mammals.

Software Format

SNAPSHOT USA 2019–2023 comprises two .csv files. The original data can be found within the SNAPSHOT USA Initiative in the Wildlife Insights platform.

Citation

Rooney, B., Kays, R., Cove, M. V., Jensen, A., Goldstein, B. R., Pate, C., ... & Lesmeister, D. B. (2025). SNAPSHOT USA 2019–2023: The first five years of data from a coordinated camera trap survey of the United States. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 34(1), e13941. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13941

TNC Authors

  • Justin P. Roemer
    Smoky Valley Ranch Manager, Kansas
    The Nature Conservancy
    Email: justin.roemer@tnc.org