Using Environmental DNA to Detect Estuarine Crocodiles, a Cryptic-Ambush Predator of Humans

Negative human–wildlife interactions can be better managed by early detection of the wildlife species involved. However, many animals that pose a threat to humans are highly cryptic, and detecting their presence before the interaction occurs can be challenging. We describe a method whereby the prese...

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Main Authors: Alea Rose, Yusuke Fukuda, Hamish A. Campbell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Utah State University 2020-05-01
Series:Human-Wildlife Interactions
Subjects:
Online Access:https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol14/iss1/11
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author Alea Rose
Yusuke Fukuda
Hamish A. Campbell
author_facet Alea Rose
Yusuke Fukuda
Hamish A. Campbell
author_sort Alea Rose
collection DOAJ
description Negative human–wildlife interactions can be better managed by early detection of the wildlife species involved. However, many animals that pose a threat to humans are highly cryptic, and detecting their presence before the interaction occurs can be challenging. We describe a method whereby the presence of the estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), a cryptic and potentially dangerous predator of humans, was detected using traces of DNA shed into the water, known as environmental DNA (eDNA). The estuarine crocodile is present in waterways throughout southeast Asia and Oceania and has been responsible for >1,000 attacks upon humans in the past decade. A critical factor in the crocodile’s capability to attack humans is their ability to remain hidden in turbid waters for extended periods, ambushing humans that enter the water or undertake activities around the waterline. In northern Australia, we sampled water from aquariums where crocodiles were present or absent, and we were able to discriminate the presence of estuarine crocodile from the freshwater crocodile (C. johnstoni), a closely related sympatric species that does not pose a threat to humans. Further, we could detect the presence of estuarine crocodiles within an hour of its entry and up to 72 hours after the crocodiles were removed from aquariums. We conclude that eDNA could be a valuable tool for reducing human–wildlife conflict through early detection of the species.
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spelling doaj.art-ecd81e923d4c42fe9eee5bb09d8ab2d82022-12-21T19:12:23ZengUtah State UniversityHuman-Wildlife Interactions2155-38742155-38742020-05-0114110.26077/jsvz-fh36Using Environmental DNA to Detect Estuarine Crocodiles, a Cryptic-Ambush Predator of HumansAlea Rose0Yusuke Fukuda1Hamish A. Campbell2Charles Darwin UniversityNorthern Territory GovernmentCharles Darwin UniversityNegative human–wildlife interactions can be better managed by early detection of the wildlife species involved. However, many animals that pose a threat to humans are highly cryptic, and detecting their presence before the interaction occurs can be challenging. We describe a method whereby the presence of the estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), a cryptic and potentially dangerous predator of humans, was detected using traces of DNA shed into the water, known as environmental DNA (eDNA). The estuarine crocodile is present in waterways throughout southeast Asia and Oceania and has been responsible for >1,000 attacks upon humans in the past decade. A critical factor in the crocodile’s capability to attack humans is their ability to remain hidden in turbid waters for extended periods, ambushing humans that enter the water or undertake activities around the waterline. In northern Australia, we sampled water from aquariums where crocodiles were present or absent, and we were able to discriminate the presence of estuarine crocodile from the freshwater crocodile (C. johnstoni), a closely related sympatric species that does not pose a threat to humans. Further, we could detect the presence of estuarine crocodiles within an hour of its entry and up to 72 hours after the crocodiles were removed from aquariums. We conclude that eDNA could be a valuable tool for reducing human–wildlife conflict through early detection of the species.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol14/iss1/11australiacrocodylus porosuscryptic ambush-predatorednaestuarine crocodilehuman predatorhuman–wildlife conflictwildlife attacks
spellingShingle Alea Rose
Yusuke Fukuda
Hamish A. Campbell
Using Environmental DNA to Detect Estuarine Crocodiles, a Cryptic-Ambush Predator of Humans
Human-Wildlife Interactions
australia
crocodylus porosus
cryptic ambush-predator
edna
estuarine crocodile
human predator
human–wildlife conflict
wildlife attacks
title Using Environmental DNA to Detect Estuarine Crocodiles, a Cryptic-Ambush Predator of Humans
title_full Using Environmental DNA to Detect Estuarine Crocodiles, a Cryptic-Ambush Predator of Humans
title_fullStr Using Environmental DNA to Detect Estuarine Crocodiles, a Cryptic-Ambush Predator of Humans
title_full_unstemmed Using Environmental DNA to Detect Estuarine Crocodiles, a Cryptic-Ambush Predator of Humans
title_short Using Environmental DNA to Detect Estuarine Crocodiles, a Cryptic-Ambush Predator of Humans
title_sort using environmental dna to detect estuarine crocodiles a cryptic ambush predator of humans
topic australia
crocodylus porosus
cryptic ambush-predator
edna
estuarine crocodile
human predator
human–wildlife conflict
wildlife attacks
url https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol14/iss1/11
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