Evaluating DNA degradation rates in faecal pellets of the endangered pygmy rabbit.

Noninvasive genetic sampling of faecal pellets can be a valuable method for monitoring rare and cryptic wildlife populations, like the pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis). To investigate this method's efficiency for pygmy rabbit monitoring, we evaluated the effect of sample age on DNA degradation in faecal pellets under summer field conditions. We placed 275 samples from known individuals in natural field conditions for 1-60 days and assessed DNA quality by amplifying a 294-base-pair (bp) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) locus and five nuclear DNA (nDNA) microsatellite loci (111-221 bp).