The smell of success

tudying cheetahs can be extremely challenging. Large ranges, timid natures and a fine turn) from the University of Salzburg, lead author on a study published in the . “Their keen sense of smell means our dogs can even find poop that’s two months old. Then, we can do genetic analysis and identify who’s who and where, and estimate population size,” she explains. The system works best when there is no rain to drown out target smells, with moderate winds to waft whiffs snout-wards, and cool temperatures so odours are not vaporized before they’re sleuthily sniffed. “Not perfect, but amazingly effective,” says Mutoro.