INDIANA – In October, Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) mammalogists carried out their annual surveys to monitor and protect the state-endangered Allegheny woodrat.
During the field assessment, specialists set live traps baited with apple slices in known woodrat habitats. When checked the following day, any captured woodrats were weighed, tagged, and sampled for tissue before being safely released back into the wild. A behind-the-scenes video documenting this survey process is available for the public to view.
Boosting Genetic Diversity
Once laboratory genetic testing is completed on the collected tissue samples, DNR will identify which isolated woodrat populations are most in need of a genetic diversity boost. Conservationists can achieve this by introducing woodrats sourced from other states and releasing young woodrats raised through local captive breeding programs.
Efforts like these are essential for rare species conservation, helping ensure that Hoosiers continue to have the opportunity to see unique and diverse wildlife across the state.
