2/21/2023 0 Comments Animal skat![]() ![]() A whole gamut of scientists are interested in poo, from the dedicated scatologist (palaeontologists, medical specialists or biologists devoted to faecal studies) to scientists studying animal populations, diets, genetics, and even behaviour. Vets peer into poo to look for parasites excreted from an animal's digestive system. Scats have long been the focus of study for vets and scientists. It's also a more accurate measure of their diet, Gales, says. Other info: Analysing the DNA in whale poo allows scientists to study the animals without resorting to cutting open their stomachs. You might not think of looking for whale poo, but if you're in the area where whales are migrating then it can be an impressive sight.ĭescription: Gales describes it as a mass of particles, sometimes in a lump, sometimes just in the water column.Ĭan be confused with: Whales are the largest marine mammals and the volume of poo they produce is unique - if there's a lot in the water it will probably be a whale's. Previously information of the seals' diets was gained by sieving seal scats, washing them and looking at the fish ear bones left in the mix to identify them. Other info: Scientists have recently started using a new technique to look at seal scats by analysing the DNA found in the scat. A good clue to deciding what poo is what is knowing if you're in the area of a seal colony. (Source: "Track, Scats and Other Traces" /)ĭescription: According to Australian Antarctic Division researcher Dr Nick Gales, seal poo looks just like dog poo. Triggs says the most common scats found are from possums, eastern grey kangaroos, swamp wallabies and other macropods. There's an easy scat size relation bigger animals leave larger scats.įinally you need to find out what animals are in the area, for example if you live in an area where eastern grey kangaroos are common and you find a grassy scat, it's probably from an eastern grey kangaroo. The next thing is to look at the size and shape, even measuring the scat. If it is a cat, fox or other carnivore, the scats will probably contain hair and bits of bone. If it's a kangaroo or a macropod, chances are it will have finely chopped bits of grass in it. It's important to find out what sort of animals are around in your area so you know what you are looking for.īarbara Triggs, author of 'Tracks, Scats and Other Traces' says that the first thing to do in identifying scats is to find out what the animal had been eating. It can be a tricky business, and a good guide is useful. Below are a few simple tips to get you started at looking at scats. Once you've gained a familiarity with them, scats are a valuable way of finding out what kind of animals are around you and where they live. The common thing is that you get very good at identifying the scats of one particular animal," he said. Snakes, birds, lizards, even insects - if you start looking for them you'll find scats everywhere.īecoming familiar with animals scats is the only way to learn to distinguish them, according to National Parks and Wildlife NSW officer Dan Lunney. They can reveal a lot about the things animals eat, where they go and even how they live.Īll animals leave scats, whether it's a native animal such as a possum, or a feral fox or cat. But for anyone interested in finding out more about the animal world, scats can be a useful tool. Scats, faeces, or just plain poo - these digested wastes left behind by animals are universally avoided by all but the most dedicated animal lovers, vets and scientists. What is that brown lump sticking to the heel of your shoe? Is it the scat of a spotted-tailed quoll, an Australian fur seal, a red fox, or just your next-door neighbour's dog? What scat is what, and why should you care? ![]()
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