When enough is enough: Optimising monitoring effort for large-scale wolf population size estimation in the Italian Alps.

ABSTRACT: The ongoing expansion of wolf (Canis lupus) populations in Europe has led to a growing demand for up-to-date abundance estimates. Non-invasive genetic sampling (NGS) is now widely used to monitor wolves, as it allows individual identification and abundance estimation without physically capturing individuals. However, NGS is resource-intensive, partly due to the elusive behaviour and wide distribution of wolves, as well as the cost of DNA analyses. Optimisation of sampling strategies is therefore a requirement for the long-term sustainability of wolf monitoring programs. Using data from the 2020-2021 Italian Alpine wolf monitoring, we investigate how (i) reducing the number of samples genotyped, (ii) reducing the number of transects, and (iii) reducing the number of repetitions of ea

SUBMITTER: Boiani MV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11337114 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature