Canada is moving quickly to develop natural resources, but that also means finding better ways to monitor wildlife and protect the environment. Current methods—like field surveys and tracking—are expensive, time-consuming, and difficult to carry out in remote areas such as the Arctic. New genomics tools that analyze environmental DNA (eDNA) have shown promise, but they still have limitations, including false positives (saying something exists when it actually doesn’t), and the inability to tell whether an organism is currently present or just left traces behind. This project aims to improve on those tools by developing new approaches that use environmental RNA (eRNA) and airborne sampling to more accurately detect wildlife (living or once present) in an area.
To do this, White Otter Biotech is partnering with researchers at the University of Manitoba and the Assiniboine Park Conservancy. Together, they will design and test these new tools using both controlled settings and real-world fieldwork in northern Manitoba. Additionally, the project is partnered with Agnico Eagle Mines, which has mining operations in Kivalliq, Nunavut, and will provide invaluable field samples critical to the project’s research.
The goal of the White Otter Project is to create a faster, more reliable, and more affordable way to monitor the actual presence of wildlife, which will reduce costs and timelines while also supporting collaboration with Indigenous communities. In the long run, the project aims to bring these tools to market, strengthen Canada’s environmental monitoring capabilities, and support more responsible resource development.
