Estimation of population size for wolverines Gulo gulo at Daring Lake, Northwest Territories, using DNA based mark-recapture methods
Robert Mulders, John Boulanger & David Paetkau
Mulders, R., Boulanger, J. & Paetkau, D. 2007: Estimation of population size for wolverines Gulo gulo at Daring Lake, Northwest Territories, using DNA based mark-recapture methods. - Wildl. Biol. 13 (Suppl. 2): 38-51.
This paper presents the results of the first substantive DNA mark-recapture sampling effort for wolverines Gulo gulo using hair-snag sampling. In the spring of 2004, 284 bait posts were sampled in 3 x 3 km cells for four sessions in the Daring Lake area of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Bait posts were baited with caribou and scent lures. As well, a fish lure was dragged around by snowmobiles during bait post setup. One hair sample was genotyped from each post for each session. Results suggested a high degree of attraction to bait posts by wolverines with capture probabilities of > 0.5 for both sexes and very precise estimates for females. Males displayed substantial closure violation whereas females did not. Investigation of reduced effort designs suggests that a 2-session sampling design with moderate densities of bait posts is adequate for estimation of population size for wolverines due to high capture probabilities. A longer-term monitoring effort is recommended to allow better understanding of wolverine populations in the area.
Key words: DNA, hair-snag sampling, mark-recapture, population estimation, program MARK, wolverine
Robert Mulders, Carnivore/Fur Biologist, Wildlife Division, Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, 600 5102- 50th Ave, Yellowknife, NT, X1A 3S8, Canada - e-mail: Robert_Mulders@gov.nt.ca
John Boulanger, Integrated Ecological Research, 924 Innes, Nelson, BC, V1L 5T2, Canada - e-mail: boulange@ecological.bc.ca www.ecological.bc.ca
David Paetkau, Wildlife Genetics International, Box 274, Suite 200 – 182 Baker Street, Nelson, B.C., V1L 5P9, Canada - e-mail: dpaetkau@wildlifegenetics.ca
Corresponding author:Robert Mulders