Page 40 - Green knowledge 2024

Photo: Alexander Kopatz
Genetic monitoring of northern animals
Researchers are making significant progress in developing new molecular
genetic methods for monitoring three ecologically important species in
Northern Europe: reindeer, moose, and brown bears.
Effective management of wild animals and semi-do-
mesticated reindeer requires understanding their
behaviour, diet, health, and reproduction. In North-
ern Norway, near Russia, Finland, and Sweden,
cross-border animal movements present challenges.
Ongoing monitoring is crucial to prevent disease
spread and protect animal health.
Researcher Dr Cornelya Klutsch at NIBIO Svanhovd
explains that current methods for monitoring wild
animal populations are labour-intensive and involve
radio tagging and sample collection.
“Molecular genetic methods, such as DNA analysis
from hair and faeces, provide a non-invasive
approach to identifying individuals and their health
status,” she says.
High-throughput sequencing (HTS) enables
researchers to quickly process large amounts of
genetic material. The RemoTnitor project examines
how HTS can analyse faecal samples to study diet
and health. By creating specific genotype sets for ani-
mals like reindeer and moose, thousands of samples
can be processed yearly, yielding detailed individual
data.
Molecular genetic methods can also detect diseases,
parasites, and genetic diversity, serving as an early
warning system for emerging diseases. This is par-
ticularly important given climate change, which
could alter disease distribution.
Project leader Dr Tommi Nyman highlights the
importance of citizen science in sample collection.
“Extensive collaboration has already resulted in a
biobank with over 16,000 samples from bears.
Achieving similar data for reindeer and moose could
provide valuable insights for managing these species
effectively,” he says.
Purpose: Collaboration: Funding: Contact: Develop tools for non-invasive assessment of animal species, their relationships, diet, and health
based on genetic analyses of faecal samples collected in the field.
Norwegian Veterinary Institute (NVI), Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), and The
Arctic University Museum of Norway
The Fram Centre with support from the Ministry of Climate and Environment
Research Scientist Tommi Nyman, Division of Environment and Natural Resources.
Email: tommi.nyman@nibio.no | Phone:
+
47 902 84 254
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