| Abstract: | Hair samples are an increasingly important DNA source for wildlife studies, yet optimal storage methods and DNA degradation rates have not been rigorously evaluated. We tested amplification success rates over a one‐year storage period for DNA extracted from brown bear (Ursus arctos) hair samples preserved using silica desiccation and ?20 °C freezing. For three nuclear DNA microsatellites, success rates decreased significantly after a six‐month time point, regardless of storage method. For a 1000 bp mitochondrial fragment, a similar decrease occurred after a two‐week time point. Minimizing delays between collection and DNA extraction will maximize success rates for hair‐based noninvasive genetic sampling projects. |
