Citizen science: Wolf monitoring involving volunteers provides important results

After an absence of 150 years, the wolf returned to the German federal state of Lower Saxony in 2008. By the end of 2017, 14 reproducing packs, two territorial pairs and one residential individual were confirmed by the “wolf... [ view full abstract ]

After an absence of 150 years, the wolf returned to the German federal state of Lower Saxony in 2008. By the end of 2017, 14 reproducing packs, two territorial pairs and one residential individual were confirmed by the “wolf bureau”, an office established by the state government/ministry of environment. Confirmation was based on records found by a standardised wolf sign monitoring methodology. Records were obtained passively by specially trained local wolf advisors and hunters (in Lower Saxony the state hunting association is tasked with maintaining the official wolf sign database). In 2017, citizen science NGO Biosphere Expeditions, the state wolf bureau and NABU (Nature and Conservation Union) started a cooperation to provide international citizen scientists for active monitoring of wolf sign and to supplement the existing database. A total of 49 citizen scientists actively monitored the state for wolf signs from 17 June to 21 July 2017. In total 1,100 km were covered on public footpaths and bridleways, which is where wolves also like to walk, patrol and mark their territories. All signs found were recorded following the strict scientific protocol of the state's official wolf monitoring programme. Over the course of four weeks almost 80 wolf scats and as many other wolf signs again were found and passed onto the wolf bureau for further dietary and DNA analysis, thereby significantly boosting the official database. The project serves as a showcase of how international citizen scientists can make a significant contribution to regional wildlife conservation efforts.