Alternative ID Methods Needed to Lower Risk to Endangered and Threatened Species

As the climate continues to change, it's more important than ever to assess the status of threatened species across the globe. If scientists don't take steps to understand what species are most endangered, than it's possible that species could simply disappear. Now, researchers are urging field biologists to change the way they identify threatened species.

The researchers actually point out that collecting a "voucher" specimen for species identification may not be the best way to go about things. Collecting an animal may actually pose a risk for extremely vulnerable species populations.

"We are drawing attention to this issue as an important question bearing on the ethical responsibilities of field biologists," said Ben Minteer, one of the researchers, in a news release. "It concerns not only an increased extinction threat to re-discovered species, but also the collection of specimens from small populations more generally. Because these populations are very small and often isolated, they are incredibly sensitive to over-collecting. Combine the understandable impulse to confirm something really important-such as that a species is not, in fact, extinct-with the sensitivity of a population to collection and you've got a potentially significant conservation issue."

So what can researchers do besides collecting? The scientists suggest using a combination of modern, non-lethal techniques to confirm a species' existence. These methods include the use of high-resolution photography and audio recordings of sounds. In addition, DNA sampling taken by swabs of the mouth or skin can help identify an animal.

"The thrill of rediscovering a species must be one of the most exciting events in a biologist's life, however it is easy to forget it comes with significant responsibilities," said Robert Puschendorf, a conservation biologist at Plymouth University, in a news release. "What impact are we causing to the species even in this first encounter? The technology is there to gather crucial evidence to substantiate our finding without harming the animals. There is no need to collect by default."

The findings are published in the journal Science. Supported by newvoucher.co.uk