Tracking wildlife using DNA: A scientific breakthrough made with an Indigenous community

Moose, caribou, deer … they’ve roamed the forests for thousands of years, shaping ecosystems as much as human cultures have. But how can we confirm the presence of these animals without observing, capturing or disturbing them? The answer sometimes lies in the invisible: fragments of DNA left in the snow, dust or carried by insects. This approach, known as environmental DNA (eDNA), can transform how wildlife is monitored, provided the methods are adapted to the realities of their territories. In Canada, biodiversity protection is under increasing pressure from resource exploitation and climate change. White-tailed deer, for example, are moving north, encroaching on moose and caribou habitats. These deer can carry diseases that put entire deer populations at risk. The spread of the species is closely monitored, but this monitoring relies on information that is sometimes difficult to obtain. Milder winters, more parasites: Are moose at risk from winter ticks?

The same is true for monitoring rare and elusive species, such as the wolverine, whose presence in several regions of northern Québec is difficult to confirm due to a lack of tangible data. To guide the decisions necessary to protect biodiversity, all stakeholders —governments, conservation organizations, industry and Indigenous Peoples — need reliable, comparable data that is produced in a socially responsible manner. But traditional monitoring tools, like direct observation, capture, GPS collars or camera traps, are often costly, intrusive or difficult to deploy in remote areas. Environmental DNA: Promises, limitations Environmental DNA is based on a simple yet powerful principle: all living organisms release fragments of their cells containing DNA into their environment, particularly through their feces, urine, saliva, skin or hair. By analyzing these genetic traces in water, soil, snow or air, it’s possible to identify the species that are present in a given environment without making direct contact or disturbing the animals themselves. While this approach is now well-established for aquatic species, its application to terrestrial animals remains a major scientific challenge. Unlike in aquatic environments, DNA is dispersed unevenly. Its detection depends heavily on the behaviour of the species, climatic conditions, the nature of the substrates (soil, dust, snow) and the processes of DNA degradation in the environment. These factors make monitoring more complex and require methods adapted to local conditions. Our recent scientific article published in the journal Environmental DNA marks a major breakthrough for biodiversity monitoring in Canada. In it, we present new tools for non-invasively monitoring 125 North American animal species. Significantly, nearly half of these species were selected by Indigenous partners across the country for their cultural, ecological or food importance. Among them is the caribou, an iconic species that is culturally central to many Indigenous nations. At the intersection of these technological promises and scientific challenges, a close collaboration resulted between researchers at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) and the Abitibiwinni First Nation in Pikogan, in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue are of Québec, as part of the Canada-wide iTrackDNA project. A research project in the region In 2021, the Anicinape First Nation joined the iTrackDNA project to develop wildlife tracking tools that meet its cultural and territorial priorities. Territorial guardians, community biologists and researchers first identified key species, including moose, woodland caribou, and white-tailed deer, that have raised cultural, ecological and subsistence-related concerns. An initial sampling campaign, based on conventional water filtration, yielded disappointing results. Despite the confirmed presence of the species, detection rates were low or even nonexistent. Yet far from being a failure, this setback highlighted an essential reality: standard DNA methods are not universal and must be adapted to the ecological and social environments where they’re used. Rethinking methods, together Rather than giving up, the team chose to completely rethink their approach. A rigorous experimental study was conducted on the ancestral territory of the Abitibiwinni Nation, in the boreal forest of Québec, to compare different methods of eDNA collection for monitoring wildlife. The protocols were co-developed with the guardians of the territory, favouring materials that were inexpensive, accessible and applicable in remote areas. Four main approaches were tested: Surface snow sampling Dust and invertebrate (scavenger fly) collection Local water sampling Downstream water sampling The tests were conducted in controlled environments, including the Pageau Wildlife Refuge and a government caribou enclosure, in order to clearly compare the effectiveness of each method. The results, published in the scientific journal Journal of Applied Ecology, are unequivocal. Surface snow sampling proved to be the most effective method, with perfect detection of DNA from the three target species. Snow acts as an excellent preservative: cold, dark, and undisturbed, it accumulates and preserves DNA deposited by moving animals. Methods based on invertebrates and airborne dust also proved highly effective. These approaches are promising for snow-free seasons or for species that are only active in summer. Conversely, water sampling proved less reliable for certain species, except in very specific situations. Sharing new knowledge Following this fruitful collaboration, a unique training course on eDNA, co-organized by INRS, the Abitibiwinni First Nation and the First Nations of Québec and Labrador Sustainable Development Institute, brought together members of 12 Indigenous communities and organizations. The goal was to strengthen local capacity for wildlife monitoring using scientific tools adapted to the realities of the territory. Participants acquired practical skills, ranging from designing a sampling plan to interpreting laboratory results. The methods taught, developed jointly by researchers and land stewards, are animal-friendly, reliable and applicable in remote areas with accessible equipment. This training illustrates how cutting-edge technology can be applied locally to support land management, while respecting the knowledge, cultures, and priorities of communities. Science that’s useful, grounded, sustainable Beyond the technical results, this research demonstrates the strength of a joint approach, where Indigenous ecological knowledge and modern genomics complement and reinforce each other. The protocols developed are now available to other Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations in Canada and elsewhere, and contribute directly to the development of Canadian standards for DNA analysis. While DNA does not yet provide all the answers, it’s a powerful and adaptable tool to support land governance and biodiversity conservation. By focusing on collaboration, methodological innovation and local roots, this approach paves the way for more inclusive and reliable wildlife monitoring that is better aligned with the environmental challenges of today and tomorrow.

Valérie S. Langlois received funding from Genome Canada, Genome Québec, and the Canada Research Chairs Program to carry out this research project. Annie-Claude Bélisle received funding from Mitacs Élévation and the Abitibiwinni First Nation.