The discussion seems to have moved beyond what the article said into what it implied. Do the animals have the "right" to privacy? The answer is that no, animals do not have rights because "rights" are a human invention - a legal question. Moral rights are unenforceable regardless of how well intentioned. For example, it can be argued we have the moral right to be free from intentional harm to our persons from other persons, but if someone decides to violate that right, where does one go to find justice? Where is the moral rights court? Of course, it doesn't exist. What if the bear that wrecked the camera had attacked and killed a human photographer? To what moral authority does his family appeal for justice?

The point is we assign animals "rights" based on our desire to treat them humanely. Animals are in no position to assert their "rights" - period. They do not recognize the rights of other animals. They practice the only moral right over which they have any control - the right to survive. How we treat animals is up to us based on our morals. We can kill them all for food or any other reason that supports our survival, or we can assign animals rights based on our own human morals and philosophy.

Do cameras somehow violate a human moral philosophic tendent? I would argue no. As for Doc's assertion that stressed animals are more vunerable I have to say the argument is a red herring. If there is some momentary stress it must be distinguished for long term stress. Example of long term stress are loss of habitat, weather conditions that alter habitat, human pressure, etc. Experiencing something that may or may not startle an animal at any given moment can't reasonably be considered long term or life threatening stress.

Lastly, the definition of camera traps is ridiculous. Don't google camera traps, which is a term that can be used complimentary or pejoratively, look up traps. I would say that unless you belive a camera captures your soul or that capturing an image is the same as restricting movement by physical means, then the term 'camera trap' is an oxymoron.