Wildlife cameras help researchers understand Tasmania's native wildlife and feral species

Researchers have amassed 750,000 images of 150 species from a network of wildlife cameras that started in 2015. (Supplied: University of Tasmania)

Researchers have opened a window into the lives of Tasmania's threatened native species and their predators by constructing one of the largest wildlife camera trap networks in the world.

The network of more than 1,300 camera sites and 600 active camera traps now extends into the farthest corners of Tasmania, after its development began in 2015. 

The researchers have already amassed 750,000 images of 150 species, including tens of thousands of pictures of Tasmanian devils in their natural habitat. 

University of Tasmania researcher Dr Jessie Buettel said the idea was to "cast a massive net" to better understand what the wildlife was up to, and how incidents such as bushfires and land clearing affect native species. 

Dr Jessie Buettel says a wildlife cameras installed throughout the Tasmanian bush have given researchers insights into the lives of native species and their distribution. (Supplied: University of Tasmania)

"Interestingly, one of our most charismatic animals is the currawong and the raven; they tend to be very attracted to our cameras. 

"I think they're the selfie masters of camera trap networking."

Already, the researchers have learned plenty. 

"The thing that surprised us the most when we first started this work was where these animals are," Dr Buettel said. 

 A wedge-tailed eagle walks past a wildlife camera in the Tasmanian bush. (Supplied: University of Tasmania)

Lives of feral cats revealed

While the camera network provides unprecedented detail about Tasmania's native wildlife, it also reveals clues about the lives of feral animals — particularly cats. 

The predators have been spotted carrying surprisingly large kills, including bandicoots, pademelons and ringtail possums. 

Feral cats were detected at 90 per cent of camera trap sites in the Tasmanian bush. (Supplied: University of Tasmania)

That's where PhD student Alex Paton comes in. 

Ms Paton has been analysing the images of feral cats, to better understand where they are distributed, how many exist in the wild and in what densities, and whether they have a preference for certain types of habitat or prey.

She said with feral cats detected at 90 per cent of camera trap sites, the information could help researchers target areas for conservation.

"We need to accept that on mainland Tasmania, the chances of eradicating feral cats are very small," Ms Paton said. 

"It's a big island state, and we're in dense rainforest with other predators present, so we can't bait for cats and we can't shoot cats.