Scat detection dogs in wildlife research and management: application to grizzly and black bears in the Yellowhead Ecosystem, Alberta, Canada

Abstract

We report the development and application of a method using domestic dogs (Canis familiaris Linnaeus, 1758) to systematically locate wildlife scat over large remote areas. Detection dogs are chosen for their strong object orientation, high play drive, and willingness to strive for a reward. Dogs were trained to detect grizzly bear (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758) and black bear (Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780) scats over a 5200-km 2 area of the Yellowhead Ecosystem, Alberta, Canada. DNA from scat provided the species and (for grizzly bears only) sex and individual identities of the animal at each location. Concentrations of fecal cortisol and progesterone metabolites from these same grizzly bear scats provided indices of physiological stress and reproductive activity (in females), respectively. Black and grizzly bears were most concentrated in the northern portion of the multiuse study area, where food is most abundant yet poaching-related mortality appears to be heaviest. Physiologic stress was also lowest and female reproductive activity correspondingly highest for grizzly bears in the north. The scat-based distributions corresponded to concurrently collected hair-snag data in 1999 and global positioning system radiotelemetry data (of grizzly bears) in 1999 and 2001. Results suggest that the scat dog detection methodology provides a promising tool for addressing a variety of management and research questions in the wildlife sciences.

Using DNA to track the origin of the largest ivory seizure since the 1989 trade ban

“…The ability to acquire DNA from feces, coupled with new methods that markedly enhance fecal sampling rates over large remote areas (15), makes this approach highly feasible for a diverse array of at-risk species.…”

Maximizing Nonhuman Primate Fecal Sampling in the Republic of Congo

“…Scat detection dogs are another option. Their use is not yet widespread in the tropics but they have been successfully used in temperate regions to collect copious quantities of carnivore scat (Smith et al, 2003;Wasser et al, 2004;Michalski et al, 2011). Long et al (2007) concluded that human searchers found less than one-tenth of the black bear, fisher, and bobcat scat located by detection dogs.…”

“…Long et al (2007) concluded that human searchers found less than one-tenth of the black bear, fisher, and bobcat scat located by detection dogs. Scat detection dogs may translate well into tropical settings, as dogs and handlers typically search transect lengths, specific zones, or grid cells, but important considerations include the cost of training the handler and dogs, boarding and transporting dogs, maintaining the health of the dogs, and ensuring the safety of wildlife (Adams et al, 2003;Smith et al, 2003;Wasser et al, 2004;Michalski et al, 2011).…”

“…This includes tests for physiologic stress, reproductive productivity, sex, and genetic differentiation of individuals (Wasser et al, 2004;Le Gouar et al, 2009). Herein, our objective was to provide recommendations on choosing a fecal sampling design that maximized the number of fecal samples, the accuracy of population density estimates, and the efficiency of the sampling teams.…”

Training of a dog for the monitoring of Osmoderma eremita

“…The two main reasons why species are being searched for are: i) they are rare and endangered and ii) they are alien species. In the management of endangered and threatened species, dogs are mostly used to search for mammals (Wasser et al 2004, Browne et al 2006, Hurt and Smith 2009, Long et al 2007, Coppolillo et al 2015, birds (Browne et al 2006, Hurt andSmith 2009) and reptiles (Browne 2005, Cablkand Heaton 2006, Nussear et al 2008, Hurt and Smith 2009. Dogs have been used to search for accidentally imported alien species particularly focusing on reptiles (Savidge et al 2011), rodents (Gsell et al 2010) and nematodes (Richards et al 2008).…”