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Hair Sampling Techniques for River Otters
Author(s) -
DEPUE JOHN E.,
BENDAVID MERAV
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the journal of wildlife management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.94
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1937-2817
pISSN - 0022-541X
DOI - 10.2193/2005-712
Subject(s) - otter , trap (plumbing) , home range , mark and recapture , range (aeronautics) , environmental science , mustelidae , lutra , population , fishery , ecology , biology , zoology , habitat , materials science , environmental engineering , composite material , demography , sociology
River otter (Lontra canadensis) populations have been difficult to monitor and information on densities is lacking throughout their range. To obtain DNA‐based population estimates of river otters we developed 2 traps to capture hair; a modified body‐snare and a modified foot‐hold trap. Of 82 traps activated 77 captured hairs (94%). Traps snagged 3–20 guard hairs per capture. Our capture rates of otter hair ranged from one capture per 3.6 trap nights to one capture per 156.6 trap‐nights. Our traps provide an effective, noninvasive technique for obtaining hair DNA from individual river otters.