I received this email and figured I'd help her out. I don't know if any of you in Georgia ever get weasels, but if you do, you may want to consider communicating with this lady.

Dear Mr. Dobbins:

My name is Dr. Susan Rupp. I am a Certified Wildlife Biologist. I recently started a new company called “American Canines for the Environment (ACE Dogs)” with a colleagues of mine in which we are using scent detection dogs for conservation work. We recently were awarded a grant to look for long-tailed weasels in Georgia. However, this species is very rare down there, so we are trying to find some other long=tailed weasel carcasses we can use for training our dogs.

We are reaching out to you to ask for your help in advertising the need to your community of trappers on trapperman.com.

Ideally, we would like to find long-tailed weasel carcasses that were harvested and put on ice (or frozen) relatively quickly. We would love whole carcasses so we can also get fecal samples out of them. However, if non-tanned pelts are available, we will also take those.

And we are looking for least weasels and short-tailed weasel samples as well to train our dogs what NOT to detect.

Is there any chance you can post something for us or spread the word?

I can be reached at 479-340-7018 if you would like to talk further.

Thank you for your assistance!

Sincerely yours,
Susan Rupp

That's gonna be a tough request for them to fill. I have caught 2 long-tailed weasels in my life. Both in the late 80s. Both in no pan tension coon footholds set on dry land (that was b4 I knew anything about trap adjustments.)

One, that is all I've ever seen. Or more correctly one on video in a clients yard in Newnan, GA. Would not have believed it had I not seen a very clear daylight video of one ducking in and out of a gutter downspout drain.

I set cages for it with no luck.

Just hope their trained dogs & research are good for the future of trapping & not bad. Sounds a little strange

Ive always wondered why weasels are listed in Ga as a furbearer. Must have been a factor in the early 1900s. Sure hasnt been during my 58 years in these Ga woods.

Weasels were normally viewed as vermin-like skunks,fox,bears,etc.Season in the past were opened all year for shooting and trapping in a lot of places.

Anybody else think it is strange that she thinks she can train a dog to tell the difference is a long tail and a short tail weasel? I am not a biologist but would be surprised if there is enough difference in scent to differentiate between the two or the least weasel. .

And legal for take while next door in Alabama not.

Long tail weasel smell very different…even to my nose. And I’m certain a dog could tell the difference much easier than me.

Learn something new everyday!

They are asking trappers for help but what is there stand on trapping in general? Dog people don't seem to be our friend in many cases?

Long-tailed weasels are more closely related to the American mink (they're both classified in the genus Neogale now), and their white winter coats are an independent adaptation to snow, compared to the "Old World" weasels and mink from the genus Mustela. So I wouldn't be surprised if they smell different, at least to a dog.


The method of using "scat dogs" for carnivore research is described in "Noninvasive Survey Methods for Carnivores". Dogs are basically a research too here, used to find scat that can be used later for molecular identification of individuals.

Maybe Dr. Rupp could elaborate here on the forum?

F Y I

Enviroscapes Ecological Consulting is certified as a woman-owned small business (WOSB) and economically disadvantaged woman-owned small business (EDWOSB). Founded in 2006 by Dr. Susan Rupp (Certified Wildlife Biologist), Enviroscapes provides scientific-based research, information, and assessments to assist scientists, managers, policy makers, and other stakeholders in making ecologically sound decisions under the current state of political, social, and economic affairs while also providing the greatest likelihood for long-term sustainability of wildlife and other natural resources. Our core values include honesty, integrity, competency, timeliness, open communication, and stewardship – all of which help us to deliver the highest quality environmental services and products possible.


Just one of the things I saw about her, looks like she's good at grant writing. Lot of research. Lot of grant money.
Hope I'm not stepping on any toes. JMO
Casexx


F Y I x 2

Dr. Susan R. Rupp is a Certified Wildlife Biologist ® with 25+ years of professional experience researching and evaluating wildlife-habitat relationships at local and landscape scales, and has been promoted to Vice President to lead the Land & Natural Resources Section. She specializes in Environmental Due Diligence, Risk Mitigation and Optimization Modeling, Sustainability of Ecosystem Services (including air, water, soil, and biodiversity), and Landscape Design and works across federal, state, private, and local boundaries to promote sustainable development within the bioeconomy. Dr. Rupp holds a PhD in Wildlife Science from Texas Tech University and was nominated by the U.S. Secretaries of Agriculture and Energy, to the Biomass Research Development Technical Advisory Committee.


G'night all.

Buy the way having some limited knowledge of Research Phd's this lady's creds would be hard to refute on any environmental impact study that may be a requirement for any large environmental land use where federal funds would be spent. Anything big, federal, coming up or going on in Georgia? Just a question, no ill will intended.
G'night

i had a request for fisher poop, a few years back like this , they were training dogs to find fisher for research, in lower Michigan , we got 50 dollars per sample , how much are they paying I did very well on this study,

I recognize the name Susan Rupp, but can't remember from where. Anybody thinking about this might research her a bit and see what side of the fence she is on.

I'm a Wildlife Biologist. What's a "Certified" Wildlife Biologist?
I didn't realize I might be certifiable?

I have never seen one in my neck of the woods . May be some up in the hill country ?

Here she 'liked' that some guy in Alabama got a turkey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-rupp-certified-wildlife-biologist-80ba6817

The professional society for wildlife biologists is "The Wildlife Society". The Society has a professional certification program based both on education and experience with continuing education requirements. Requirements for certification are available on their website. The use of the term "certified wildlife biologist" means a person has met the qualifications for certification from The Wildlife Society. Membership also means adhering to a professional code. The Society has been a strong supporter of trapping as a tool for wildlife managment purposes.