Thanks to new DNA-analysis techniques, it is possible to study the genetic makeup of a population of kangaroos without bothering the hopping marsupials in their habitats: one can just collect their faeces. Miriam Zemanova created a website to let scientists know about this and many more tricks to eliminate harm to animals while studying wildlife. For that project, this scientist at the University of Fribourg received the 2026 3Rs Award, which honours outstanding contributions to the Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement of animal use in scientific research (the 3R).

Last year Miriam Zemanova launched a method finder, a tool that allows researchers to browse a database of non-invasive methods according to their fields of study and needs. The database, which she curated herself, contains 111 different methods such as planting camera traps, collecting shed hair or saliva traces on vegetation, analysing DNA dispersed in the air, water or snow, acoustic monitoring, or collecting naturally shed biological material. These replacement methods often generate robust scientific data while minimising disturbance and pain to animals.

More samples at a lower cost 
Miriam Zemanova, a researcher and lecturer at the University of Fribourg, has been interested in wildlife conservation since the beginning of her studies in Prague. Often scientist capture animals to gain samples of blood or tissues from them. They bring to the laboratory the samples or entire body parts for further analyses. In some cases, often when it comes to smaller animals, specimens are killed so that their tissues can be sampled.

As she was in Australia planning a research project on the genetic diversity of kangaroos in a nature reserve, she started to search for alternatives to the typical procedure involving the capture of specimen and DNA extraction from blood or tissues. After some desk research she was able to determine that collecting the faeces of the kangaroos would be enough to extract all the information needed about their genes. Her study was successful in determining the genetic diversity in the local kangaroo population, without coming close to any of them. Moreover, more samples were collected at a lower cost than would have been with invasive methods.

Dr. Zemanova wanted to promote such non-invasive methods in wildlife research beyond the projects she was involved in. Thus, she created a website dedicated to showcase their use. As of June 2026, it lists 2168 studies that, as her kangaroo research, deploy innovative methodologies to study animals in their habitat without subjecting them to pain or discomfort.

Hopefully, the next time a young researcher is hesitating to employ traditional invasive methods in wildlife research, they will be able to quickly find alternatives that cause less harm to animals. Miriam Zemanova’s method finder will furthermore inform them at a glance about the advantages, limitations and costs of the methods selected by the tool.

Considering the 3Rs principles at the earliest stage of study design 
Miriam Zemanova has also researched the use of the non-invasive methods promoted through her website. A meta-analysis on wildlife genetic studies published in 2017 and 2018 revealed that only 22% of the surveyed articles used a non-invasive method. In 78% of the cases, researchers choose an invasive or even lethal method of collecting samples, even though at least one non-invasive replacement method would have been an option.

Today she declares: “There does not seem to have been much progress since then, so it is important to keep raising awareness among wildlife researchers about non-invasive techniques.”

The method finder empowers wildlife researchers to consider the 3Rs principles at the earliest stage of study design, where methodological choices with the greatest implications for animal welfare are made. Dr. Zemanova was able to gain numerous sponsors for her informational website. Moreover, renowned institutions such as Norway's National Consensus Platform for the advancement of the 3Rs (Norecopa), the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the non-profit 3Rs Collaborative recommend its use.

About the 3RCCs Annual 3R Awards
The Swiss 3R Competence Centre (3RCC) is dedicated to promoting the 3R principle, that is the Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement of animal use in science and education. It supports advancements in 3Rs research that benefit both science and animal welfare.

The 3Rs Award, accompanied by a CHF 4 000 prize, honours a major contribution to the 3R principle. The two 3Rs Young Investigator Awards recognize early-career scientists whose research significantly advances the 3Rs. Co-funded by the National Research Programme 79 “Advancing 3R – Animals, research and society” each of these two awards is worth CHF 2 500.

The recipients of the 3R Award and the Young 3Rs Investigator Awards are selected based on the quality and impact of their contributions to the 3Rs in their field. Nominations pass an initial screening and shortlisting, followed by the appraisal of a jury composed of international and national 3Rs experts. These awards reflect the 3RCC’s ongoing mission to foster a culture of responsibility and innovation in Swiss research.