What is an advantage of using panda faeces rather than blood samples for DNA analysis?

• A. Less stress/injury to animals
• B. Higher DNA concentration
• C. Easier to store
• D. DNA more intact

Answer: (A)

Noninvasive sampling is the key idea. Collecting panda feces lets you obtain DNA without capturing or handling the animal, so there is far less stress and risk of injury than drawing blood, which requires trapping and often anesthesia. This welfare benefit is a major reason fecal samples are preferred in wildlife genetics. The other points are less favorable: DNA in feces is usually lower and more degraded than in blood, and substances in feces can interfere with analysis, making storage and extraction trickier. So the ability to study genetics while minimizing harm to the animal is the strongest advantage.