Weasel tissue and specimens are critical to research on a range of important topics that are being or need to be addressed in the future (genetic variation, disease, toxicant exposure, morphology, etc.). Below are details on how to collect samples based on 3 different ways biologists are likely to encounter potential specimens.
For all the cases below please record the following and include with each of the samples:
Whole animals: For road-killed animals in good shape or for those trapped animals that must be euthanized, the entire animal should be saved if possible. These specimens allow us to preserve multiple tissues for DNA or disease assay, collect data on reproductive condition, assess stomach contents, and collect parasites. Upon collecting the animal, please take a photo with a scale bar. Double bag the animal (zip-lock bags or any other plastic bag will work) with data inside the bag. It is also best if you can write the weasel species with a date on the outside of the bag with a sharpie, to easily locate the animal for shipping. If it is not possible to save the entire animal, please save the head or even a foot for genetic tissue, and heart/liver/kidneys if possible.
Partially destroyed road-killed specimens: Any specimen, regardless of condition, can provide some genetic data. If any portion of the head remains, remove this and place it in a plastic bag and freeze. Removing one whole foot is also a good source for genetic tissue. Data should be in the bag with the sample and the bag placed in a freezer.
Animals to be released: If the animal is being handled and released alive, three possible sources of tissue will work. First, a small snip of the edge of the ear taken with sharp, sterilized scissors provides the most tissue. Secondarily, a small tuft of hair can be taken with forceps or needle-nosed pliers. We usually take hair from the tail. Third, a single claw can be clipped close to the toe. Any or all of these can be placed in a cryotube, that is then placed in a zip-lock bag with data for the animal. We can supply cryotubes for samples if you do not have these available; however, if cryotubes are not readily available when the animal is being handled, the sample can be placed directly in the zip-lock bag with data. In any case, get the sample into a freezer as soon as possible.
Location of storage repository and contact information
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Mammal Collection will host the weasel repository. The Mammalogy Unit will prepare the most viable specimen preps (whole study skin, skeleton, and frozen tissues, or some subset) depending on the condition of the specimens sent. Frozen tissues include heart, liver, kidney, and muscle that are stored in an ultracold freezer for genetic, histological, toxicant, and pathogen screening. Please contact the Curator (Michael Cove, [email protected]) and Collections Manager (Lisa Gatens, [email protected]) prior to sending specimens to ensure someone is there to receive them.
ATTN: Mammalogy Unit
NC Museum of Natural Sciences
11 W. Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
Requests for use of submitted specimens and samples:
Upon receiving a request by a researcher to have access to weasel samples stored at the repository, the repository will send the request to the Specimen Collection Protocol subgroup of the North American Weasel Group for review. Please note that the submitter of the weasel specimen/samples stored at the repository will have right of use of their submitted specimens/samples; they do not need to have approval from the Specimen Collection Protocol subgroup to gain access to their own samples. However, they will be encouraged to notify the subgroup, so the subgroup can track how these samples/specimens are being used. If it is the researchers located at the repository interested in using the sample, they will notify the Specimen Collection Protocol subgroup.
If the request is approved, the repository will coordinate with the researcher(s) for access to the specimens and the associated metadata. The researcher(s) will be required to contact (e-mail acceptable) the submitter(s) of the samples used by the researcher. The researchers will also notify the submitter of any results, reports, or publications that are produced as a result of analysis of their submission. Lastly, researchers using samples from the repository, will at minimum, reference the submitter and their affiliation in any acknowledgements.
For more information, contact Michael Cove, [email protected] (203-417-8244); Roland Kays, [email protected];
Weasel Specimen Protocol Subgroup Members:
David Jachowski, [email protected]
Colleen Olfenbuttel
Roland Kays
Courtney Anderson
For all the cases below please record the following and include with each of the samples:
- Location: At least state & county. If possible, also a full description of location and latitude/longitude (decimal degree format preferred).
- Date: day, month, and year that the animal was collected, if known.
- Contact information: name, affiliation, phone number and email address of person sending in sample.
- Method of collection: how was the animal acquired (roadkill, cat, trapper etc…)
Whole animals: For road-killed animals in good shape or for those trapped animals that must be euthanized, the entire animal should be saved if possible. These specimens allow us to preserve multiple tissues for DNA or disease assay, collect data on reproductive condition, assess stomach contents, and collect parasites. Upon collecting the animal, please take a photo with a scale bar. Double bag the animal (zip-lock bags or any other plastic bag will work) with data inside the bag. It is also best if you can write the weasel species with a date on the outside of the bag with a sharpie, to easily locate the animal for shipping. If it is not possible to save the entire animal, please save the head or even a foot for genetic tissue, and heart/liver/kidneys if possible.
Partially destroyed road-killed specimens: Any specimen, regardless of condition, can provide some genetic data. If any portion of the head remains, remove this and place it in a plastic bag and freeze. Removing one whole foot is also a good source for genetic tissue. Data should be in the bag with the sample and the bag placed in a freezer.
Animals to be released: If the animal is being handled and released alive, three possible sources of tissue will work. First, a small snip of the edge of the ear taken with sharp, sterilized scissors provides the most tissue. Secondarily, a small tuft of hair can be taken with forceps or needle-nosed pliers. We usually take hair from the tail. Third, a single claw can be clipped close to the toe. Any or all of these can be placed in a cryotube, that is then placed in a zip-lock bag with data for the animal. We can supply cryotubes for samples if you do not have these available; however, if cryotubes are not readily available when the animal is being handled, the sample can be placed directly in the zip-lock bag with data. In any case, get the sample into a freezer as soon as possible.
Location of storage repository and contact information
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Mammal Collection will host the weasel repository. The Mammalogy Unit will prepare the most viable specimen preps (whole study skin, skeleton, and frozen tissues, or some subset) depending on the condition of the specimens sent. Frozen tissues include heart, liver, kidney, and muscle that are stored in an ultracold freezer for genetic, histological, toxicant, and pathogen screening. Please contact the Curator (Michael Cove, [email protected]) and Collections Manager (Lisa Gatens, [email protected]) prior to sending specimens to ensure someone is there to receive them.
ATTN: Mammalogy Unit
NC Museum of Natural Sciences
11 W. Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
Requests for use of submitted specimens and samples:
Upon receiving a request by a researcher to have access to weasel samples stored at the repository, the repository will send the request to the Specimen Collection Protocol subgroup of the North American Weasel Group for review. Please note that the submitter of the weasel specimen/samples stored at the repository will have right of use of their submitted specimens/samples; they do not need to have approval from the Specimen Collection Protocol subgroup to gain access to their own samples. However, they will be encouraged to notify the subgroup, so the subgroup can track how these samples/specimens are being used. If it is the researchers located at the repository interested in using the sample, they will notify the Specimen Collection Protocol subgroup.
If the request is approved, the repository will coordinate with the researcher(s) for access to the specimens and the associated metadata. The researcher(s) will be required to contact (e-mail acceptable) the submitter(s) of the samples used by the researcher. The researchers will also notify the submitter of any results, reports, or publications that are produced as a result of analysis of their submission. Lastly, researchers using samples from the repository, will at minimum, reference the submitter and their affiliation in any acknowledgements.
For more information, contact Michael Cove, [email protected] (203-417-8244); Roland Kays, [email protected];
Weasel Specimen Protocol Subgroup Members:
David Jachowski, [email protected]
Colleen Olfenbuttel
Roland Kays
Courtney Anderson
