‘Tiger spray’ DNA could be a potent resource in conserving the big cats, researchers say.
Sumatran tiger cub triplets at the London Zoo on Feb. 4. (Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)
So, Why Should You Care? Just 3,200 tigers are left in the wild, living in less than 7 percent of their historical range, according to tiger conservation groups—and
their populations are dwindling rapidly. This new tracking technique
may increase what we know about wild tigers and help to save the
species.
“Being able to survey them without seeing them is really important,” said Anthony Caragiulo, a research scientist at the American Museum of Natural History and coauthor of the new study. “Tigers are super hard to see, and you don’t want to have to handle them.”
Researchers first tested their technique on captive tigers in Ontario, Canada, by swabbing scent sprays that the animals left on bushes. When each spray was analyzed, the researchers were able to determine which individual animal left it—with the same accuracy as with scat or better.
They were also able to do a gender breakdown and genetic analysis on the DNA in the spray, revealing important information about the tiger’s health and survival capacity. “We can get baseline data on a minimum number of individuals as well as how genetically diverse they are,” said Caragiulo. “If you don’t have diversity, you don’t have the toolbox to adapt to a changing environment.”
The next step, he said, will be to test the technique in Sumatra among wild tigers.
While this is the first time tiger scent sprays have been used for genetic analysis, other research projects have used wolf and wolverine urine for conservation work, suggesting it could aid in tiger conservation as well.
Caragiulo believes scent sprays may also help with study and conservation of other large cats.
There’s another reason tiger spray may be useful to researchers, and it has to do with the legal restrictions surrounding endangered species. Tiger blood and hair are highly protected, making it difficult to obtain needed permissions to ship them to labs for analysis.
“Being able to survey them without seeing them is really important,” said Anthony Caragiulo, a research scientist at the American Museum of Natural History and coauthor of the new study. “Tigers are super hard to see, and you don’t want to have to handle them.”
Researchers first tested their technique on captive tigers in Ontario, Canada, by swabbing scent sprays that the animals left on bushes. When each spray was analyzed, the researchers were able to determine which individual animal left it—with the same accuracy as with scat or better.
They were also able to do a gender breakdown and genetic analysis on the DNA in the spray, revealing important information about the tiger’s health and survival capacity. “We can get baseline data on a minimum number of individuals as well as how genetically diverse they are,” said Caragiulo. “If you don’t have diversity, you don’t have the toolbox to adapt to a changing environment.”
The next step, he said, will be to test the technique in Sumatra among wild tigers.
While this is the first time tiger scent sprays have been used for genetic analysis, other research projects have used wolf and wolverine urine for conservation work, suggesting it could aid in tiger conservation as well.
Caragiulo believes scent sprays may also help with study and conservation of other large cats.
There’s another reason tiger spray may be useful to researchers, and it has to do with the legal restrictions surrounding endangered species. Tiger blood and hair are highly protected, making it difficult to obtain needed permissions to ship them to labs for analysis.
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