Camera traps reveal seasonal variation in activity and occupancy of the Alpine mountain hare (Lepus timidus varronis)

Mountain hare is a cold-adapted species threatened by climate change, but despite its emblematic nature, our understanding of the causes of population decline remains limited. Camera traps are increasingly used in ecology as a tool for monitoring animal populations at large spatial and temporal scales. In mountain environments where field work is constrained by difficult access and harsh conditions, camera traps constitute a promising tool for surveying rare and elusive species such as the mountain hare. Our study explored the use of camera traps as a tool for studying seasonal habitat occupancy and daily activity patterns of the mountain hare, in order to carry out long-term monitoring of populations. We installed 46 camera traps along elevation gradients in the Mont-Blanc massif (France) from January 2018 to June 2022. We measured habitat variables at each camera trap site in order to define vegetation composition and habitat structure. We performed multi-season and single-season occu..., , , # Camera traps reveal seasonal variation in activity and occupancy of the Alpine mountain hare (Lepus timidus varronis)

Pictures from 46 camera traps located along elevation gradients in the in the Mont-Blanc massif (France) have been used for this paper. Habitat variables at each camera trap site have also been measured in order to define vegetation composition and habitat structure.

## Description of the data and file structure

Mountain hare contacts from camera traps are available in the \"taghare_1day.csv\" dataset. \"Station\" corresponds to the camera trap name, \"Date\" corresponds to the date at which a mountain hare has been contacted by the camera trap.

Descriptions of camera traps are available in the \"camerainfo.csv\" dataset. \"Station\" corresponds to the camera trap name, \"Exposition\" corresponds to the orientation of the camera, \"Elevation\" corresponds at which elevation (in meters) was installed the camera, \"Longitude\" and \"Latitude\" indicate the coordinates of the camera...