Anthropocene Magazine reports
Misleading smells could waylay predators and help wildlife managers protect vulnerable prey.
In a world where many predators hunt with their noses, odor trickery can be a key to survival. Puff adders in Africa seem able to avoid detection by sharp-nosed meerkats and dogs. Shorebirds change the composition of their body oils while nesting in ways that make them hard to sniff out. Fish that dine on coral might match the smell of the surrounding reef, camouflaging them fromhungry cod.
Now, ecologists in New Zealand and Australia think wildlife managers should consider a similar tactic to help protect endangered species. And they have evidence suggesting that, at least in one setting, it works.
Read more at Creating odor confusion could help save endangered species
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