Tigers scent spray may be better way to track them

New York: A new technique using tigers' scent sprays, which are detected much more frequently in the wild than scat, may help conservationists better monitor tiger numbers the wild, suggests a new research. Tiger spray is a combination of anal gland secretions -- said to have a floral scent like citrus -- and urine, which contains DNA in the form of cells from the urethra.

Genetic tracking has traditionally relied on extracting DNA from scat collected in the wild. But in humid, tropical landscapes -- like those in Sumatra in Indonesia, where a number of tigers live -- scat often degrades before researchers can find it.

Scent sprays left by tigers on trees and overhanging leaves degrade less quickly, and can be detected by researchers between two and eight times as frequently as scat. So, to boost the effectiveness of genetic monitoring of tigers in warm regions, the research team questioned whether DNA could be extracted from sprays.

The researchers collected spray samples from three captive tigers in Ontario, Canada, with cotton swabs that were then stored in tubes of buffer to help preserve the DNA.