UTILIZING BEHAVIORAL BIOPHYSICS TO MITIGATE MORTALITY OF SNARED ENDANGERED NEWFOUNDLAND MARTEN

Fisher et al investigated the possibility of identifying a wire with physical and metallurgical properties that would capitalize on biophysical differences between snowshoe hare and marten that result from species-specific behaviors and morphology. They observed that as an animal pulls against a snare, it produces tension, while an animal rotates along its own longitudinal axis within a snare produces torque. They quantified the tension and torque exerted by each of the species and tested for their statistical differences between them, and tested potential wires for their ability to retain hares and release marten.