1. DNA fingerprinting identifies individual bears and also allows for determining the gender of the a bear. What information does it not provide that might be useful for deciding on conservation efforts?
2. Bear hair may also be collected from trees that the bears rub themselves against. In a study using DNA fingerprinting of hair collected from rub trees, it was found that the population in the area contained more male bears than female bears. Give one potential explanation for this situation.
3. What other problems might DNA fingerprinting of bear hair solve?
4. The police arrested three suspects and obtained DNA fingerprints from each individual. What does the investigator need to establish in order to determine which of the three might be the culprit in the crime? Explain your answer.
5. How could DNA fingerprinting technology be used to establish that a highway cutting through grizzly bear habitat stops the bears from moving from one side to the other? Explain your answer.
6. Monarch butterfly populations are found east and west of the Rocky Mountains. How could DNA fingerprinting technology be used to establish that they constitute one breeding population or two separate breeding populations? Explain you answer.
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