Wild animals that could track a person by scent?

[endgirl]

Hey there! Does anyone know of any wild animals (especially the type that might be found in a zoo) who would be able to sniff something that belonged to a person and then track them by scent, like a bloodhound? I know almost no wild animals would do this by choice, but the willingness of the animal to do it is not as important as the physical/

Comments

[tarvae]

Well, these little critters came immediately to mind http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APOPO (mine detection rats)

Beyond that I'd be thinking something like one of the small to medium sized cats like a Caracal or maybe a red panda (all teh cute in thw world there!) or possibly an otter, ferret or another mustilid?

[enveri]

I was coming here to make the same comment about red pandas. ;D

[endgirl]

Hah, that is depressing (but not surprising) about red pandas. They would have made for quite the image in my story.

[rokeon]

That rat link is amazing, I just read an article about them being trained for bomb and drug detection but it didn't go into detail on the landmines. It sounds like you could take some time and teach them to find a specific person, but the method described doesn't sound like it would transfer to the rat being able to track any random person without prior training on their individual scent.

http://arstechnica.com/business/2013/09/dutch-police-recruit-rat-detectives-to-sniff-out-crime/

[endgirl]

Hmm, yeah, I would need an animal that could sniff something for a minute or two then set off (assuming it was willing, which I realize will require a lot of splaining and some suspension of disbelief!). But I'll definitely read more -- perhaps there's a way to write around that issue. Thanks so much!!