Genetic tagging of free-ranging black and brown bears

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:1999
Authors:Woods, JG, Paetkau, D, Strobeck, C, Lewis, D, McLellan, BN, Proctor, M
Journal:Wildlife Society Bulletin
Volume:27
Date Published:1999
Keywords:Ursus arctos
Abstract:

Identification of individuals in a free-ranging animal population is potentially hampered by a lack of distinguishing features (e.g., scars, unique color patterns), poor visibility (e.g., densely forested environments), cost and invasiveness of physical capture, and mark loss. Advances in DNA-analysis technology offer alternative methods of individual identification that may overcome several of these problems. We investigated the genetic variability of American black bears (Ursus americanus) and brown (grizzly) bears (Ursus arctos) in the Columbia River basin of British Columbia, Canada, and developed a method to obtain genetic samples from free-ranging bears. We established the background genetic variability using microsatellite genotyping at 9 loci using tissue and blood samples from captured bears. In 3 field trials, we tested methods to obtain hair from free-ranging bears. Although all methods collected hair suitable for DNA analysis, the barbed-wire enclosure hair-trap was superior. We extracted DNA from hair roots and identified sample species with a species-specific mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) test and sample sex from a Y-chromosome test. Using 6 microsatellite loci from nuclear DNA (nDNA), we screened all hair samples for individual identity and developed match probability functions based on scenarios of random sampling (P(random)), the likely presence of parent-offspring groupings in the samples (P(par-offs)), and the likely presence of siblings in the samples (P(sib)). We applied the P(sib) to each hair sample (match criteria at P(sib)<0.05) and illustrated how these microsatellite genotypes can be used as genetic tags in mark recapture bear censuses. The ability to identify species, sex, and individuality of free-ranging bears has numerous potential applications in field studies.

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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