I am working within the 'best practise for
wild canid and felid management' project, testing non-invasive
molecular monitoring techniques for the improved management of both
native and introduced dogs in Australia.
Newly developed DNA-based techniques allow population monitoring
tasks to be performed non-invasively from small amounts of material
such as hairs, faeces or saliva. I am using high-resolution
microsatellite DNA markers and mark-recapture abundance estimates
to monitor population decline and subsequent recovery after
poisoning programs. I'm also using genetic markers to detect when
and where hybridisation has occurred between dogs and dingoes. The
results of this study will assist managers in making
better-informed decisions about wild dog management, particularly
in areas where dingoes and livestock currently coexist.
