• Question: @helen do you go diving to take dna of mamals

    Asked by to Andrei, Ekbal, Gemma, Helen, Ruth on 18 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Helen Gath

      Helen Gath answered on 18 Jun 2014:

      HI! I have been lucky enough to go diving before, and seen reef sharks, beautiful fish and coral very close up, but this was was for my own fun, not for work. The birds I work with are not aquatic (live on or in the water), they live in the forest’s trees. So when I take a feather, nail or blood sample to collect DNA, then I am securely on the ground!

      Some aquatic animals may be caught and lifted onto a boat, or taken to dry land for a DNA sample to be accurately taken. With other animals, such as a Blue Whale this could be very difficult! That would need a diver to go down to the whale instead.

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