Writing a short article (maximum 1000 words) on the problems and complexities of using tracks and signs to determine presence (and absence) of mammal species (25%)
In the field of ecology finding and identifying tracks and signs has always been one of the hardest job in that field. This is because a range of different problems can and most likely will occur.
There are several ways to find animal tracking and signs. When looking for a particular species research will need to be conducted to know what habitats it will be spending most of its time at, this will narrow done the list of species when a footprint or sign has been found. But right there is are first problem when someone says we will be tracking animals today you think “great I’m going to find some animal footprints” which is easier said than done.
Footprints can be extremely hard to find especially if you are looking a mammal species that spends it life hiding from predators or even predators hiding from prey waiting to ambush. Their footprint will be affected by a number of things such as:
• The type of soil it’s on: This will effect on how well of a print can be made. There are several ways to catch this out, scientists can place a surface down called “Moon Sand” which is used to gather large mammal prints, and this however will not allow prints of smaller mammals. (Binstead, 2013)
• The weather: The weather can depend on how long a footprint will last. Such as if it been warm and sunny a footprint may last the day or not even affect the ground if the ground is dry. But if it is raining the footprint will become damaged and will be near impossible to tell what animal it is
• The type of Mammal: The type of animal is a major factor if a footprint is to be made. Lar...
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...ooking at colour is very important it can split to groups of mammal apart such as rabbits and deer’s who both produce pellet like faeces but both have different colours. (Trust, n.d.)
The benefits of looking at faeces are that if it hasn’t dried up and are still warm then the animal isn’t too far away giving a clear insight that the mammal is there but not knowing how long ago.
The disadvantage to this is that without experience and proper knowledge at what to look for leads to mistakes in animal identification.
Bibliography
Binstead, M., 2013. british wildlife centre. [Online]
Available at: http://britishwildlifecentre.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/mammal-tracking.html
[Accessed March 2014].
Harris, D. W., 2014. Class Notes. Swansea: s.n.
Trust, W., n.d. Poo ID sheet. [Online]
Available at: http://www.naturedetectives.org.uk/download/id_poo.htm
[Accessed March 2014].
At one time, the lynx lived all the way along the Continental Divide clear up into Canada. Now, after being gone from Colorado for 25 years, the animal has been reintroduced into the lower tip of the lynx's historic habitat, the San Juan Mountains (Rogers). So far, out of 33 lynx that are being tracked, all of them are roaming in 276 square kilometers of the southwestern portion of Colorado that runs from the New Mexico border up to the I-70 corridor and from Monarch Pass over to Taylor Mesa (Shenk). In an attempt to find out how the animals, which look like bobcats with black tufts on their ears and huge paws, act in nature, scientists are tracking them with radio collars and airplanes (Lloyd).
New technologies and advancement in the area of field research has allowed biologist and primatologist to analyze information more effectively and efficiently. Through the non-invasive collection of fecal samples, researchers are able to extract and analyze DNA to help determine individual attribute, as well as population dynamics. In addition to DNA, fecal samples also contain hormones and parasites that help in determining the overall health of the depositor (Newton-Fisher NE, 2010). Other technologies include the use of Geographic Information Systems allows for mapping the ranges of chimpanzees, and satellite imagery is used to view the deforestation of select areas (Goodall, 2002).
Works Cited "Animal Planet" Animal Planet. N.p., n.d. Web. The Web. The Web. 09 Apr. 2014. The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'.
Curtis, Paul D., and Kristi L. Sullivan. "White-Tailed Deer." Ccontario.org. Cornell University, 2001. Web. 18 Jan. 2014.
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Research teams measure the sizes of turtles as they return from the sea to lay eggs. Many of the turtles have satellite tags that track their movements. The tags were implanted when the turtles were first hatched or found on the beach. The tag data tells scientists how far the turtles travel in search of their favorite food, which is jellyfish. The scientists can even find out how fast the turtles swim and how deep they dive! The tags also tell about environmental hazards that might hurt the
and history. Many of the animals were found on the four different mountains in the world and
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Snow Leopard’s are found living in the high, rugged mountains of Central and South Asia. They live in areas like Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The conditions in the high Central Asia Mountains are harsh and brutal. The Snow Leopards are prepared for these types of conditions. Snow Leopards like the jagged broken cliffs, and rocky ravines stalk and sneak up on the nearby prey. Snow Leopards are very nomadic, they constantly move around marking territory to find prey. They look for cliffs that have a good open view to search for prey on. They have thick long fur, which will keep them warm in their cold habitats and which will protect them from the wind. Their bodies are very stocky but have very bulk chests and arms. They also have small rounded ears, which help to minimize heat loss. Their paws are wide to benefit them to walking on snow, a...
Some other mammal like reptiles arise from the pelycosaurs by the center of Permian period known as therapsid.
The use of animals in laboratory experimentation is unethical and strongly against animal rights. The abuse that animals are forced through cannot be justified when an animal is unable to sign it’s life away for testing. Millions of animals are murdered or left debilitated because of something against their own will. The experiments are severely graphic and painful, even for the smallest of tests.
However, zoos and aquariums reflect responsibility to help and promote animal conservation and protection. Without them, many may have never gotten the chance to see exotic animals such as tigers, elephants, or giraffes up close to examine and learn about their nature. Without zoos, almost all of the best observational, behavioral, biological, or genetically based research on several diverse species would have not been possible. And, without zoos and the help of fundamental captive breeding and reintroduction programs with...
" Society & Animals 18.2 (2010): 183-203. Academic Search Premier -. EBSCO. Web. The Web. The Web.