Scent woodchuck

The dominance status of an individual can be predicted by its scent-marking rate before social interactions take place Woodchucks Marmota monax) scent mark with their oral glands. When presented with isolated secretion of the oral gland of other woodchucks, future subordinates marked the scent of future dominant animals more often than vice versa (Hebert and Barette, 1989). 

Hebert, P. and Barrette, C. (1989). Experimental demonstration that scent marking can predict dominance in the woodchuck (Mflrmotflmonflx). Canadian Journal of Zoology 67, 575-578. 

Meier, P. T. (1991). Response of adult woodchucks Marmota monax) to oral-gland scents. 

Ouellet, J. P. and Perron, J. (1988). Scent-marking behavior by woodchucks Marmota monax). Journal of Mammalogy 69,365-368. 

Animal responses to artificial scent marks created by the investigator also can be monitored. Svendsen and Huntsman (1988) treated mounds of mud and debris along a stream with fractions of beaver castoreum. Only beavers that swam within 10 m of these mounds were included in the study. Stimuli were considered active if a beaver made a detectable change in direction or altered its behavior in relation to it. A similar approach has been used to assess woodchuck responses to oral-gland scents (Meier 1991). Scents were applied to cotton balls affixed to stakes near the entrance of an occupied burrow. 

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