Detection success of cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) scat by dog-human and human-only teams in a semi-arid savanna / T. Hofmann; Laurie Marker; H. Hondong

Includes references

Changes to the search area, as exemplified by our
experimental manipulation of transect widths, have a strong influence on the detection rate, therefore search designs should be calibrated individually for each dog team. Scat detection dog surveys should report in detail the characteristics of the survey design and methodology, including but not restricted to season, time of the day, transect dimensions, and search time. Detection dogs can work with constant success under variable environmental conditions related to vegetation structure and microclimate in a semi-arid savanna. The advantages of detection dogs are not only a higher sample return but also an increased accuracy in target identification.