Data from: Detection dog efficacy for collecting fecal samples from the critically endangered Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) for genetic censusing ...

• Main Authors: Arandjelovic, Mimi, Bergl, Richard A., Ikfuingei, Romanus, Jameson, Christopher, Parker, Megan, Vigilant, Linda
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Dryad 2015
• Subjects: Apes; Primates; Canis lupus familiaris; Gorilla gorilla diehli; Canis lupus
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.st61k; https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.st61k

Population estimates using genetic capture–recapture methods from non-invasively collected wildlife samples are more accurate and precise than those obtained from traditional methods when detection and resampling rates are high. Recently, detection dogs have been increasingly used to find elusive species and their by-products. Here we compared the effectiveness of dog- and human-directed searches for Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) faeces at two sites. The critically endangered Cross River gorilla inhabits a region of high biodiversity and endemism on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon. The rugged highland terrain and their cryptic behaviour make them difficult to study and a precise population size for the subspecies is still lacking. Dog-directed surveys located more fresh faeces with less bias than human-directed survey teams. This produced a more reliable population estimate, although of modest precision given the small scale of this pilot study. Unfortunately, the considerable costs ... : Cross River Gorilla Microsateliite GenotypesCross River gorilla consenus microsateliite genotypes: see ReadMe fileArandjelovicetal2015_CRGorillaMsatGenotypes_RSOS_Dryad.csv ...