Stable isotopes are considered as nature’s ecological recorders. Its application in the study of the ecological phenomenon in plants and animals is increasing day by day. Understanding the dietary food habits, migratory pattern, natal origin, and trophic position of any organism is helpful to a conservationist to understand their behavior and recognize the type of habitat they reside.

Tracing origin and movement patterns:

Stable isotopes as one of the biogeochemical markers are the most suitable methods to trace the origin and migration of wildlife like birds, insects, and mammals ^1–3. To understand animal behaviour, and their ecology, it is necessary to know it movement pattern. For this we need to track individual or population on a seasonal or annual basis. Tracking animals can be done either directly or indirectly. Firstly, direct tracing includes the following individual over time and space through remote-sensing techniques like radio transmitters, or individual tag like leg rings, neck collars. In direct tracking method, an animal needs to be captured and recaptured and also, it could not be viable to small animals and long distance travellers. Secondly, indirect tracking of individual could achieve by using their (plant and animals) intrinsic biological (genetic variation) or biogeochemical marker (stable isotopes) ^4–6. Stable isotope analysis does not require marking and recapturing individuals and can work with large populations at a time in broader scale of time and space.

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