A hairsnare for forest carnivores
Belant JL. 2003. A hairsnare for forest carnivores. Wildlife Society Bulletin. 31(2):482-485
The efficacy of currycombs attached to cage-trap doors for snaring hair from forest carnivores as a non-invasive technique for detecting and monitoring wildlife populations was evaluated. The study was conducted on forested lands administered by Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Hiawatha National Forest, and Shelter Bay Forest, Inc. in Alger County, Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Raccoons (Procyon lotor), fishers (Martes pennanti), and American martens (Martes americana) were the most common species sampled. In 13 of 16 initial trials, adequate hair samples were obtained using two currycombs. Species identification from hair collected during a field trial was 100%. This technique provides an additional tool for detecting presence and distribution of forest carnivores and ensures that single samples can be obtained for individual identification.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Belant, Jerrold
- Units
- PIRO
- Keywords
- Carnivores (Carnivora), Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor), Fisher (Martes pennanti), hairsnare, Marten (Martes americana), Monitoring