About This Project

Endangered species, like snow leopards and tigers, are hard to identify and track using the time consuming and expensive methods currently available. This project will revolutionize the ability to rapidly identify species by developing an easy-to-use kit to determine the DNA within their remains for the quick and accurate identification of illegally trafficked species, and identifying feces of animals in remote locations; crucial for conservation efforts. This is year 2 of development.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Monitoring the presence of fecal material in the field can help identify population declines, as well as assess the effectiveness of conservation actions. However, feces and other animal remains are often misidentified, leading to falsely assumed species presence and wasting limited conservation resources. The genetic analysis of animal products, although a useful tool in species ID also has a number of challenges that prevent its widespread application: it is time consuming, success rates are typically low, and costs are too high for large-scale studies or for those countries that do not have access to costly equipment. After 6 months initial development at McMaster University, we're well on our way with a novel paper-based DNA biosensor that resolves these issues.

What is the significance of this project?

Developing a highly portable, easy to use, accurate and inexpensive genetic kit to identify species from their remains is a crucial conservation initiative. Such a device will not only enable scientists to accurately monitor endangered and elusive species in remote environments but also allow local communities and tourists to participate in monitoring programs. This means that we could more accurately assess species distribution, population structure and abundance and significantly broaden the monitoring of illegal trafficking in wildlife parts.

Ultimately, the low-cost and usability of the kit will greatly expand the monitoring abilities within developing countries that are often severely limited.

What are the goals of the project?

After an initial 6 months with the lab at McMaster University, we've proven the concept can work! i.e we have successfully amplified a short sequence of snow leopard DNA on paper and can link it to a color response, yes or no. We have also proven that the system is sensitive to a range of DNA concentrations. I've also spent 5 weeks in Mustang with the Centre for Molecular Dynamics understanding the challenges of the Himalayan terrain and importance of community involvement.

The next step will develop methods to increase the sensitivity and specificity of the technique to detect low concentrations of DNA and ensure snow leopards can be distinguished from their closest relatives. I currently have a generous grant of $20000 from Panthera and lab support from the team at McMaster.