Wednesday 6 November 2013

Beagle Sniffs Out Polar Bear Pregnancies

When other pregnancy tests fall short, a poop-sniffing beagle named Elvis could reveal whether or not a polar bear has one on the way.

At least that's what keepers at the Denver Zoo are hoping. The zoo's 11-year-old female Cranbeary may be expecting, but progesterone monitoring, ultrasound examination and other traditional methods cannot effectively detect pregnancy in polar bears. Keepers think Cranbeary's feces, however, could hold faint clues imperceptible to humans.

A sample of Cranbeary's poop has been sent to the Cincinnati Zoo, where researchers are working with a professional dog trainer to see if the canine nose is sensitive enough to detect polar bear pregnancies. 

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