United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2002-03-06 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:GAO-02-496T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-496T P0b002ee18037c133 f:d02496t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-496T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-496T GAO-02-496T Biological research Endangered animals Endangered species Investigations into federal agencies National forests Testing Wildlife conservation Gifford Pinchot National Forest (WA) National Interagency Canada Lynx Survey Wenatchee National Forest (WA) Testimony A02857 The National Interagency Canada Lynx Survey (Protocol) was designed to determine the presence of Canada lynx through deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis of hair samples recovered from scratch pads located in forests in the northern United States. Beginning in January 2002, GAO investigated the submission of unauthorized samples to the University of Montanta's laboratory as part of the National Survey and investigated whether the biologists involved had communications about their submissions. There were four instances in which unauthorized hair samples, not obtained from the Wenatchee and Gifford Pinchot National Forests, were submitted for DNA testing as part of the National Survey for those forests. These included one submission on bobcat hair in 1999, and three submissions of lynx hair in September and October 2000. These biologists maintain that they submitted these samples to test the accuracy of the work performed by the laboratory, although they knew that the Protocol for the National Survey did not provide for such action. They also stated that they did not have the authority to make these submissions and that they were aware that they had alternatives for testing the laboratory other than submitting samples as part of the survey. This testimony summarizes a March report (GAO-02-488R). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-496T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-496T.htm GAO-02-496T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-496T Testimony GAO-02-496T; Canada Lynx Survey: Unauthorized Hair Samples Submitted for Analysis; Biological research Endangered animals Endangered species Investigations into federal agencies National forests Testing Wildlife conservation Gifford Pinchot National Forest (WA) National Interagency Canada Lynx Survey Wenatchee National Forest (WA)