A Single-Catch Snare to Collect Brown Bear Hair for Genetic Mark-Recapture Studies

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2005
Authors:Beier, LR, Lewis, SB, Flynn, RW, Pendleton, G, Schumacher, TV
Journal:Wildlife Society Bulletin
Volume:33
Date Published:2005
ISBN Number:00917648
Keywords:Canis lupus, Ursus arctos
Abstract:

Use of genetic marks to identify individuals and generate population estimates using mark-recapture methodologies has become increasingly common. Recently, brown bear (Ursus arctos) population estimates have been made using DNA isolated from hair follicles as the mark, obtaining hair with a barbed-wire enclosure around a scent lure. While this method has been successfully used in low-density populations, it would be difficult to use in areas with dense concentrations of bears because of the high probability of collecting hair from multiple bears at a single site during a single trap session. We designed and evaluated a single-catch snare to collect bear hair in a dense brown bear population during late summer. We hung snares, modeled after a wolf (Canis lupus) neck snare, on bear trails along streams where bears congregated to feed on spawning salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.). During 2 years 1,000 snares were tripped and 455 contained bear hair. We determined genotypes from 309 hair samples collected. Our single-catch hair snares successfully captured hair, usually with visible follicles, from many bears without using a lure. Our snares were quick and easy to set, so we could replace snares containing hair in the field and remove hair later in a clean area to avoid contamination. Additionally, we could easily move snares, so we could place many snares over a single reach of stream or on several streams.

URL:http://www.jstor.org/stable/3785109
Taxonomic name: 
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Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith