Balancing costs and confidence: volunteer-provided point observations, GPS telemetry and the genetic monitoring of Finland’s wolves

摘要: Reliable and updated population estimates are a necessity for the successful conservation management of endangered animal populations. Citizen science has become increasingly important in wildlife monitoring is an attractive concept due to its low costs. However, applicability citizen large carnivore populations questionable various reasons, including difficulties associated with species identification. In Finland, where fragmentary wolf (Canis lupus) have varied between 140 280 animals last 10 years, been based on volunteer-provided data telemetry. To compensate recent decrease proportion territories boundaries mapped through telemetry, non-invasive genetics project was launched 2016. We evaluated experiences from this project, which genetic techniques were, first time, widely used (n = 22 territories, 54% 41 apparent hosted by wolves March 2017) determine post-hunting estimate early 2017, before pack sizes began dispersal sub-adult wolves. executed winter 2016/2017, resulting observations analyses were highly correlated. By using most typical variation non-residents (6–20%, Fuller et al. 2003), we derived 150–178 2016, and, considering known mortality during study period, minimum 204–234 Aug. Despite high costs, recommend that should cover all supporting Finland’s small exploited population. This much costlier protocol may be unrealistic Finland. any case, there need more sampling test quality data.