Tracking Wildlife Using DNA: A Scientific Breakthrough Made with an Indigenous Community

Why It Matters

The breakthrough shows eDNA can reliably track terrestrial mammals without invasive techniques, cutting costs and disturbance. It empowers Indigenous stewardship and supports evidence‑based land‑use decisions amid climate change and resource pressures.

Key Takeaways

• Snow sampling gave perfect detection for moose, caribou, deer
• Indigenous partners co‑designed low‑cost eDNA protocols for remote areas
• Invertebrate and dust methods work well during snow‑free seasons
• Water sampling showed limited reliability for terrestrial species
• Training expanded eDNA capacity across 12 Indigenous communities

Pulse Analysis

Environmental DNA has reshaped aquatic monitoring, but extending the technique to land‑based ecosystems has been fraught with technical hurdles. In remote Canadian boreal forests, wildlife leaves genetic traces in snow, soil, dust and even on insects, yet uneven distribution and rapid degradation make detection unpredictable. Traditional tools such as camera traps, GPS collars or direct observation are expensive, logistically complex, and can disturb sensitive species. As climate change pushes temperate species like white‑tailed deer northward, managers need rapid, non‑invasive data to assess range shifts, disease risk, and ecosystem impacts.

The iTrackDNA collaboration between the Institut national de la recherche scientifique and the Abitibiwinni First Nation tested four collection strategies on the nation’s ancestral lands. Surface snow sampling emerged as the clear winner, delivering 100 % detection of moose, woodland caribou and deer because cold, dark snow preserves DNA fragments exceptionally well. Dust traps and scavenger‑fly samplers also performed strongly, offering viable alternatives during melt‑free months. By contrast, water samples proved inconsistent unless conditions were tightly controlled. Crucially, the protocols were co‑designed with Indigenous guardians, using inexpensive, locally sourced materials that can be deployed in isolated territories.

The project’s training module, delivered to participants from twelve Indigenous communities, translates the science into practical capacity building, enabling local stewards to design sampling plans, process eDNA extracts, and interpret results. By embedding genomic tools within Indigenous knowledge systems, the approach aligns biodiversity monitoring with cultural priorities and legal frameworks for land governance. As the protocols become part of emerging Canadian standards, industry and government agencies can adopt a cost‑effective, low‑impact method for wildlife assessments, supporting sustainable resource development while respecting treaty rights. Ultimately, this partnership illustrates how collaborative innovation can accelerate climate‑resilient conservation across North America.