From poops to planning: A broad non-invasive genetic survey of large mammals from the Indian Himalayan Region

Empirical Data Suggest That the Kashmir Musk Deer (Moschus cupreus, Grubb 1982) Is the One Musk Deer Distributed in the Western Himalayas: An Integration of Ecology, Genetics and Geospatial Modelling Approaches

“…Further, for performing species distribution modelling, we used the entire Western Himalayan range of India (Figure 1). identify suitable habitats using species distribution modelling [24,[26][27][28]. Therefore, the present study integrates the different methods to delineate the species boundaries, assess the distribution range, and predict the suitable habitat of musk deer using mitochondrial DNA markers, camera trapping, a sign survey, and species distribution modelling in the Western Himalayas.…”

“…Camera trapping is one of the most accepted and used non-invasive methods to detect elusive species to understand the occurrence, relative abundance, habitat choice, activity pattern, density estimation, and species inventory [ 21 , 22 , 23 ]. Furthermore, the non-invasive DNA-based approach provides essential information about a species’ occurrence, taxonomy, distribution, status, and evolutionary history [ 19 , 24 , 25 ]. The confirmed species presence location data from different methods accurately help to understand the distribution, delineate species boundaries, and identify suitable habitats using species distribution modelling [ 24 , 26 , 27 , 28 ].…”

“…Furthermore, the non-invasive DNA-based approach provides essential information about a species’ occurrence, taxonomy, distribution, status, and evolutionary history [ 19 , 24 , 25 ]. The confirmed species presence location data from different methods accurately help to understand the distribution, delineate species boundaries, and identify suitable habitats using species distribution modelling [ 24 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. Therefore, the present study integrates the different methods to delineate the species boundaries, assess the distribution range, and predict the suitable habitat of musk deer using mitochondrial DNA markers, camera trapping, a sign survey, and species distribution modelling in the Western Himalayas.…”

Noninvasive genetic monitoring of Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) from Darjeeling district of Northwest Bengal, India

“…Genetic‐based studies using noninvasive samples is crucial to study the genetic diversity, population estimation, and monitoring especially for species that are cryptic in nature, threatened, and remains in low densities (Carroll et al, 2018; Singh et al, 2020). Thus, genetic study can provide pragmatic data for conservation trace source of confiscated material and management interferences under changing habitat dynamics and increased poaching pressures (Carroll et al, 2018; Joshi et al, 2022). Zhang and Shi (1991) reported considerable genetic divergence between brown and dusky Chinese pangolins based on restriction endonuclease, while Ching‐Min Sun et al (2020) reported low‐level of genetic diversity and a historic bottleneck in a restored Chinese pangolin population ( M. pentad actyla) in Taiwan using microsatellite markers.…”