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1 September 2009 Scent-Matching Dogs Determine Number of Unique Individuals From Scat
Samuel K. Wasser, Heath Smith, Lindsay Madden, Nathaniel Marks, Carly Vynne
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Abstract

Noninvasive scat sampling methods can generate large samples sizes, collected over vast landscapes, ideal for addressing wildlife conservation and management questions. However, the cost of genotyping scat samples limits the accessibility of these techniques. We describe detection-dog methods for matching large numbers of scat samples to the individual, reducing or eliminating the need for sample genotyping. Three dogs correctly matched 25 out of 28 samples from 6 captive maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) of known identity. Sample scent-matching can increase overall accessibility and breadth of applications of noninvasive scat-collection methods to important landscape scale problems in wildlife sciences.

Samuel K. Wasser, Heath Smith, Lindsay Madden, Nathaniel Marks, and Carly Vynne "Scent-Matching Dogs Determine Number of Unique Individuals From Scat," Journal of Wildlife Management 73(7), 1233-1240, (1 September 2009). https://doi.org/10.2193/2008-530
Published: 1 September 2009
JOURNAL ARTICLE
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KEYWORDS
Chrysocyon brachyurus
cost comparison
individual identification
maned wolf
scat
scent-matching dogs
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