scat: the scoop on poop

Wildlife Center Classroom Series- Scat: The Scoop on Poop

Wildlife Center Classroom Series: Scat: The Scoop on Poop

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the Wildlife Center Classroom Series! Comment From Guest Ding Ding Ding...that's the class bell

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Today we are going get down into (but not step into) the nitty gritty on scat!

Comment From Lydia, PA ♥ ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ ♥ Get your scoop on poop!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Most definitely!


Chapin Hardy, WCV: But first a poem:

Chapin Hardy, WCV: What starts with an “S” and ends with a “T” It comes out of you and it comes out of me I don’t know where your head is at But I’m talking about scat! (I did not write this poem, but a friend of mine told it to me and I had to share) Comment From Dori roses are red, violets are blue scat stinks and so do you

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Oh dear, blue scat doesn't sound good. We'll talk about some of that stuff later!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Yes, today we are going to talk about scat aka poop, dung, feces, droppings, excrement. Let’s begin with the basics.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: What is poop? Comment From Dori all of the above :) Comment From CarolinaGirl leftover stuff? Comment From 33mama A byproduct of digestion. Comment From David in VA. By product of digestion Comment From VA Kris The stuff one's body eliminates Comment From Doris What's left after digestion


Chapin Hardy, WCV: Exactly!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Poop is waste that has been eliminated from the body. Often times it is composed of food that can’t be digested or absorbed as well as bile, old cells, and bacteria/germs. Comment From Dori excrement of non digestible food.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: While poop can be gross, if you break it down and actually learn a little about it, it can be pretty cool and fun! Speaking of cool and fun, how about we test your scat knowledge with a little scat trivia? Comment From Dori oh no pop quiz

Chapin Hardy, WCV: a "poop" quiz to be exact! Comment From VA Kris Uh oh....tests already Comment From PaulaR that's a poop quiz, Dori

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Ok first question: What animal produces the largest poop? Comment From PaulaR elephant? Comment From Dori Elephant Comment From Guest Elephants? Comment From Doris Hippo? Comment From CBear sperm whale


Comment From jaye elephant Comment From Vicki Phx AZ Rhino Comment From flynflower blue whale Comment From Ryan blue whale Comment From Diane in Waterloo, Ont. Probably a cow!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: YES! The blue whale!

http://www.newscientist.com/articleimages/dn18807/1-whale-poop-is-vital-to-oceans-carbon-cycle.html

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Its poop can be 10 inches wide and several yards long! Comment From PaulaR interesting!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Alright, who has the smallest poop? Comment From Dori hummingbird

http://www.newscientist.com/articleimages/dn18807/1-whale-poop-is-vital-to-oceans-carbon-cycle.html


Comment From Ryan Some kind of bat Comment From Vicki Phx AZ Hummingbird Comment From PaulaR little tiny bat? Comment From CarolinaGirl earthworm? Comment From Doris Mouse? Comment From Guest Hummingbird

Chapin Hardy, WCV: The Bumblebee Bat!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Their poop is only about the size of the head of a pin! Comment From CBear dawwww Comment From Dori whoopee 0 for 2

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Here's a fun one... no cheating or looking this one up!


Chapin Hardy, WCV: What animal uses its paddle like tail to spread its poop in a 10 ft radius? Comment From PaulaR beaver Comment From Vicki Phx AZ beaver? Comment From cwerb a platypus? Comment From CBear beaver? Comment From David in VA. Beaver Comment From Dori platypus Comment From CAL Beaver? Comment From Doris Beaver? Comment From jaye beaver Comment From Ryan hippo Comment From Guest hippo

Chapin Hardy, WCV: WINNER!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: The Nile hippopotamus! Males (and some dominant females) do this behavior to mark their territory. They will urinate and defecate at the same time and use their tail to spread their poop EVERYWHERE! I saw it just about every day back at my old job. Males can do it more than 10 times in 1 hour and it’s VERY pungent.


Chapin Hardy, WCV: Ok now you can look it up Comment From cwerb eek Comment From David in VA. Paddle like tail? Hmmm Comment From PaulaR wow...who'd a thunk it...didn't even realize hippos had paddle-like tails!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Their tail doesn't sit flush against its body and it will swing it back and forth like a paddle Comment From Dori I am thinking I do not know diddly about poop

Chapin Hardy, WCV: ok just a few more!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: What animal has poop in the shape of a cube? Comment From cwerb horses! Comment From 33mama That sounds painful... Comment From Ryan wombat

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Yes, the Wombat! Ryan did you look that up?


http://biology-forums.com/index.php?article=557 Comment From PaulaR wombat Comment From Ryan No, I just dig poop ;)

Chapin Hardy, WCV: That's awesome!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: What animal poops the most frequently? Comment From Ryan rabbit

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Ryan you are on a role!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Rabbits! The can produce up to 500 droppings a day! If humans pooped as much as rabbits, we would be using the bathroom every three minutes for the rest of our lives! That’s a lot of scat!

http://biology-forums.com/index.php?article=557


Chapin Hardy, WCV: Last one! Y'all should know this one from a previous moderated discussion session. Comment From CarolinaGirl Ryan is too good at this!!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: True or false? You can determine the gender of a wild turkey by looking at its scat. Comment From 33mama True. Comment From David in VA. True.. Comment From CAL True. Comment From Dori true Comment From v,pa false Comment From Guest True Comment From PaulaR true Comment From CarolinaGirl True!! Comment From cwerb TRUE


Comment From Mardie in Seattle guessing true, but Ryan will have it.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: True!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Male droppings are j-shaped; female droppings are spiral or curlycue-shaped. Diameter of dropping increases with age of turkey.

http://www.wildturkeyzone.com/hunting/scouting.htm Comment From David in VA. Male si in the shape of a J and female in the shape of a snail Comment From CBear cool! Comment From 33mama lol Comment From PaulaR David, did you determine if your heritage turkeys poo the same way?

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Ok, back to business!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Scat differs greatly from species to species and its composition depends on a number of factors such as diet, health, and the type of digestive system. With that being said let’s talk about how scat is made.

http://www.wildturkeyzone.com/hunting/scouting.htm


Chapin Hardy, WCV: As you know most animals fall under one of these three broad categories: carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores. And with those classifications, comes different digestive systems. Let’s break them down.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: The following descriptions are of mammalian digestive systems. Birds and reptiles will follow after.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Carnivores (meat eaters) and omnivores (meat and plant eaters) have fairly simple digestive systems.

Carnivore/Omnivore Digestive System http://azmnh.org/pdf/PSITeacherPacket.pdf

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Food first enters the mouth and enzymes in the animal’s saliva start breaking it down. The food is swallowed, travels down the esophagus, and into the stomach.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: The stomach helps break the food into smaller pieces, adds digestive “juices,” and absorbs some of the food’s nutrients

Chapin Hardy, WCV: After the food has been broken down into tiny pieces, it enters the small intestine where more nutrients are absorbed.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Then the food passes through the large intestine where excess water and salts are removed. What is left is scat. Often carnivore scat contains hair, feathers, and bones while omnivores will have both animal and plant remains.

http://azmnh.org/pdf/PSITeacherPacket.pdf


Chapin Hardy, WCV: Pretty easy right?

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Herbivores (plant eaters) are a little more complicated. Herbivores eat more and spend more time eating than carnivores and omnivores because plants are harder to digest and extract nutrients. Comment From Dori e z peazy if you don't test Comment From David in VA. Straight forward yes.. Comment From Lydia, PA ♥ ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ ♥ right Comment From 33mama Yep. Basic.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Herbivores can be divided into two groups: ruminants or non-ruminants. Comment From VA Kris cows and all those stomachs...

Chapin Hardy, WCV: It's actually not stomachs but just one stomach Comment From Dori oh dear, I do not know my ruminants


Ruminant Digestive System http://azmnh.org/pdf/PSITeacherPacket.pdf

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Ruminants have a special four chambered stomach made up of the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasums.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: The digestive systems of ruminants are highly efficient and are able to extract the most nutrients from plants and produce very little and concentrated waste. Comment From VA Kris Look at all the stuff packed into that cow!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: The food is first chewed, swallowed, and enters the first chamber called the rumen. There it ferments and then is regurgitated for a second chewing (you can sometime see the bolus travel up the neck). Comment From flynflower Wow! would be cool to see this through an endoscope!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: After the second chewing, it passes down into the reticulum where indigestible materials are filtered out. Comment From Guest bolus? lump of food coming up for a second chewing?

Chapin Hardy, WCV: A bolus is a bunch of chewed food. It's what is swallowed.



Chapin Hardy, WCV: Next, it moves to the omasum. There food is further broken down and water is absorbed before moving into the abomasums.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: The abomasums continues to break down food and adds digestive acids. Then just like the carnivores and omnivores, nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine and more water is removed from the large intestine, leaving the rest to be expelled. Comment From TrishMN ♫♪ if I had a ruman chambr, I could re-eat a great pizza Comment From Dori Hey Lydia, how is lunch?

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Non-ruminants have a similar digestive process to omnivores and carnivores, but after the food leaves the small intestine, it moves into a pouch like organ called the cecum (also spelled caecum).

Non-ruminant Digestive system http://www.springfieldrabbits.co.uk/foodnutrition.htm

Chapin Hardy, WCV: In the cecum, there are special types of bacteria that can break down plant material. After food is broken down and absorbed in the cecum, the food enters the large intestine (same process as before) and eventually it is pushed out through the anus. Comment From PaulaR oh good, you're gonna talk about how bunnies have to eat their own poop for good health!

http://www.springfieldrabbits.co.uk/foodnutrition.htm


Chapin Hardy, WCV: Sometimes the food in the poop isn’t fully digested or there may be still available nutrients. The animal may practice coprophagy or eat its own feces to take advantage and extract those nutrients. Rabbits are a prime and a common example here at the Wildlife Center.

Comment From David in VA. Yum!!!!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Now that we have learned about mammalian digestive systems let’s move on to those found in reptiles and birds.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: How are we all doing? Have I overloaded you yet? Comment From David in VA. Bring it on Chapin... Comment From VA Kris Nope. Looking forward to learning about the birds Comment From 33mama We're good! Keep going, Chapin! Comment From Lydia, PA ♥ ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ ♥ Not a good idea to eat lunch during this class Comment From Dori interesting but I am having trouble absorbing it all :) Comment From CarolinaGirl I'm good. A little worried about the lunch eaters though!


Comment From PaulaR keep on shoveling, Chapin! :)

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Ok then!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Reptiles and birds have only one “exit” for waste, which is called the cloaca. Both urine and feces are eliminated through this opening. Reptiles for the most part have digestive systems that are similar to those found in higher vertebrates.

Reptile Digestive System http://azmnh.org/pdf/PSITeacherPacket.pdf Comment From Regina, IL I'm eating lunch but doing fine. Very interesting Chapin.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Herbivorous reptiles like Eastern Box turtles, have digestive systems that resemble those of non-ruminants, while carnivorous reptiles have digestive systems like the previously discussed carnivore digestive system.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: There are slight variations that we won’t get into but in reptiles, their bladder is connected to their large intestine and therefore both urine and feces exit out the cloaca. Comment From Mardie in Seattle But bird poop is something else!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Yes it is!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: The digestive system of a bird is pretty interesting as well.



Bird Digestive System http://azmnh.org/pdf/PSITeacherPacket.pdf

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Food enters through the mouth and travels down the esophagus to a pouch like projection called the crop. The crop stores the food, kind of like a lunch box, and allows the bird to digest its meal more slowly.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: It allows birds to consume food quickly, which can be useful with predators and other animals that might try and steal a meal.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Next food is pushed down into the proventriculous (first part of the stomach). There digestive acids and ‘juices’ are added.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Next the food moves to the gizzard. There it is ground up. Birds often consume grit and small stones to help the gizzard grind up food. Here waste products like bones and hair can be expelled in the form of pellets.



Owl Pellets

Chapin Hardy, WCV: After the food is broken down, it moves to the small intestine. The pancreas and the liver absorb most of the nutrients. Then the small intestine connects to the large intestine by the ceca. In the large intestine, the remaining nutrients and water are absorbed and the rest is moved to the cloaca to be expelled as scat.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: As I mentioned before, both the urates (urine) and the feces pass through the cloaca. Below is a picture of the anatomy of some bird scat.

Bird Poop Comment From TrishMN ♫♪ and a vet /technician needs to know all this, don't they?

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Yep!


Chapin Hardy, WCV: The white parts of the scat are the urates and the brown/black parts are the feces. Comment From David in VA. See that on the windshield often...

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Now that we know how scat is ‘made’ let’s take a quick scat identification quiz! Comment From Dori Woe is me! Comment From VA Kris second quiz already

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Who made this scat?

Comment From CarolinaGirl Oh no....another quiz. Chapin, you are tough! Comment From PaulaR raccoon? Comment From VA Kris raccoon? Comment From v,pa bear


Comment From Regina, IL Bear Comment From CAL Bear

Chapin Hardy, WCV: It’s actually bobcat! Comment From VA Kris oh, we should have known

Chapin Hardy, WCV: It’s ok! Look closely at the poop. I will accept carnivore, omnivore, herbivore, etc Comment From Mardie in Seattle doesn't look like a cat to me. No litter sticking to it! Comment From PaulaR ah! much more carnivorous than housecat poop Comment From Dori no fair, not covered in lecture.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: How about this one:

Comment From PaulaR fox Comment From Dori omnivore


Chapin Hardy, WCV: Correct! Chapin Hardy, WCV: Grey Fox Comment From PaulaR ...or raccoon... Comment From Kathryn in Mi Raccoon

Chapin Hardy, WCV: And this one?

http://www.biokids.umich.edu/images/signs/leavebehind/deerscat.jpg Comment From Dori bunny Comment From v,pa herbivore Comment From Regina, IL deer Comment From VA Kris or maybe deer Comment From PaulaR deer Comment From David in VA. Deer

http://www.biokids.umich.edu/images/signs/leavebehind/deerscat.jpg


Comment From CarolinaGirl Rabbit Comment From VA Kris rabbit

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Yep a deer, a ruminant!

http://www.biokids.umich.edu/images/signs/leavebehind/ecottontailscat.jpg\

Chapin Hardy, WCV: What is that one? Comment From VA Kris must be rabbit Comment From CBear herbivore Comment From 33mama Herbivore Comment From PaulaR rabbit? Comment From v,pa rabbit

Chapin Hardy, WCV: There you go!

http://www.biokids.umich.edu/images/signs/leavebehind/ecottontailscat.jpg/


Chapin Hardy, WCV: Rabbit. It's very zoomed in Comment From 33mama Okay. We're getting the hang of this now!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Yes you are! And rabbits are non-ruminants

Comment From TrishMN ♫♪ Yeah process of elimination

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Literally! Comment From PaulaR hawk Comment From VA Kris turkey? Comment From v,pa owl Comment From 33mama White...must be a bird.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Not necessarily...hint hint


Comment From CBear reptile?

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Bingo!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Eastern Ratsnake! Comment From 33mama Aha!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Last one! All you know this one!

Comment From 33mama Never thought about ratsnakes pooping! lol Comment From VA Kris what a surprise! Comment From VA Kris eagle Comment From PaulaR what size would that be, Chapin?

Chapin Hardy, WCV: The snake poop was about half the length of my pinkie finger


Comment From v,pa eagle

Chapin Hardy, WCV: The last one is hawk scat, Keeya's to be exact! Comment From VA Kris Congo calls it white wash Comment From PaulaR very cool! it looks like the faeces and urates in hers are quite separate

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Good job everyone! As you can see, scat is a great way to identify the animal that produced it. But scat can tell you so much more than just the species of animal.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Scatology is the study of feces! Any guesses at what else people can deduce from studying scat? Comment From David in VA. Raises hand.. May I use the restroom?

Chapin Hardy, WCV: yes, yes you may Comment From PaulaR health of the animal, and what it's been eating Comment From jaye diet Comment From David in VA. The health of an animal or bird Comment From CBear DNA Comment From 33mama What was eaten? Comment From VA Kris food sources,


Chapin Hardy, WCV: Excellent! Comment From CarolinaGirl Diet.....health of critter

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Yes let's start with diet.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Diet is probably the most obvious thing we can see and learn from scat. As we previously discussed not only does it show what was consumed, but it can also tell you the type of digestive system.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: To expand further, by looking at the scat, we can also get an idea of what other plants and animals are in the area.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: If we notice that there are acorns or seeds in the scat, we know not only are there oak trees and the plant that the seeds came from, but there might be similar families and species of plants in the vicinity. We can also hypothesize about what other types of animals might have similar diets and therefore could be in the area as well.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Those animals could be predators or prey for other animals, which further expands our knowledge of what flora and fauna are present. Basically you can follow up or down the food chain/web. Comment From 33mama Like bears!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Yep!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Ok next is habitat and climate. Comment From Diane in Waterloo, Ont. This is just like forensic identification.


Chapin Hardy, WCV: Yeah man!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: We can also have an idea what type of climate or habitat the animal may live. While it may be very obvious that the scat you found in the woods probably came from an animal that lives in the woods, you can perhaps figure out the type of woods. Is it coniferous or deciduous?

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Certain types of plants and animals live in only certain climates or elevations. If the scat has remains of plants or animals that are found in a variety of areas, you know that the producer of the scat could have a large habitat or home range Comment From PaulaR archaeologist use this sort of information to reconstruct the ecology of different places and times

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Speaking of different ecology of times and places....

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Scientists have used scat to figure out whole prehistoric ecosystems! How? Through fossilized scat!

https://www.dmr.nd.gov/ndfossil/poster/hellcreek/Hellcreekp2.asp

https://www.dmr.nd.gov/ndfossil/poster/hellcreek/Hellcreekp2.asp


http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/files/2011/11/dung-590x310.jp

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Fossilized scat or coprolite (Greek for dung stone) has been an essential tool in reconstructing past environments. Comment From 33mama Oh my! Comment From PaulaR "coproliths" Comment From Lydia, PA ♥ ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ ♥ Scat rocks

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Haha very good Lydia, PA!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Scat can be preserved and become coprolite a number of ways. The first way is slowly drying out over thousands of years (sort of mummified). Next is being frozen over thousands of years. Lastly it can go through a process called lithification. The scat is buried in sand, silt, or mud and over time the minerals in the soil seep into the feces and replace the organic matter.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Plant remains found in coprolite can inform scientists about the habitat the animal lived during its lifetime. By looking at the remains of herbivore poop, it not only reveals the type of plants that were present at that time, but it can also reveal information about temperature, rainfall, and other environmental changes!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Scat can also be used to study the behavior of an animal and can also be a form of communication.


Chapin Hardy, WCV: Heads up! March is one of the best times to look for scat. Most of the spring vegetation has yet to grow in and many animals are fiercely guarding their territories due to lower food resources and the start of breeding season. Comment From flynflower A marker of territory

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Yes!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Some animals may use latrine sites and all poop in the same area. Those latrine sites act as a public message board. Any individual that passes by can “read” and “leave messages” behind for other animals. Badgers, rhinos, and raccoons all use latrine sites Comment From PaulaR my backyard is a scat battle zone right now...piles of rabbit and deer poop where they've stood and grazed, and stumps and rocks marked by raccoons, foxes, and maybe feral cats passing through.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: That is so cool!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: (not the feral cats, but the poop) Comment From CBear They use our trails in the woods too, keep your eyes down when walking int he woods!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Many animals use scat as a territorial marker. Other animals of its species can smell and “read the message” that has been left behind. They can tell if the previous animal is young or old, sick or healthy, dominant or submissive, male or female-and if it was left by a female whether or not she would be receptive to breeding or if she is already pregnant.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Often times you will see animals curling their upper lip after smelling dung. This behavior is called the Flehmen response. This behavior is done to allow the scent to pass over vomeronasal organ, which is located at the roof of the mouth, and really get a good whiff.


Bobcat Flehmen response

Deer Flehmen response Comment From PaulaR that used to be called the Jacobson's organ in cats, don't know if it still is or not. The Flehmen reaction is really something to see...cats look quite weird and very intense when they're doing it.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: It's the vomeronasal organ :) Comment From 33mama My cat does that too!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Some people call it the"stinky face" Comment From CarolinaGirl Who knew that scat holds so much information?


Chapin Hardy, WCV: I know right?!?! Comment From Lydia, PA ♥ ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ ♥ A scat message board--who knew?

Chapin Hardy, WCV: We as humans can find those things out through poop as well, but thankfully we use other methods instead of smelling the scat. Instead we use endocrinology!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Endocrinology is the study of hormones and their effects on the body. Endocrinologists also study disorders and diseases associated with the endocrine system.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: The endocrine system affects metabolism, reproduction, food absorption, growth, and development. Endocrinologists can test a number of different hormone levels through blood, saliva, urine, and you guessed it-feces!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Feces can be used to test testosterone (male hormone), estrogen (female hormone) progesterone (pregnancy hormone), and cortisol (stress hormone).

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Fecal tests are a non-invasive way to gather information on animals and other tests such as blood tests can be stressful on an animal which can skew results and readings. Many zoological facilities use fecal tests in their breeding programs.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: But fecal tests aren't just for determining gender, pregnancy, or stress levels. Fecal tests are also used to determine the health of animal. An animal can’t verbally tell us if something is wrong or off, but poop most definitely can!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: At the Wildlife Center, we use fecal tests on a regular basis. I got to sit down with diagnostic intern, Kelli Waller, and talk to her about how we use scat here at the Center.


Chapin Hardy, WCV: When we obtain a sample, the first things we look for are shape, composition, and color. In many cases animals will appear healthy, but in reality could have a developing infection, be carrying internal parasites, or have ingested poison.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Their scat may appear watery, mucusy, or discolored and that is a big heads up that something is wrong. Take this sample for example. When we see raptor poop that is green and runny, we know that the animal could be suffering from lead poisoning, liver issues, starvation, and other diseases.

Comment From PaulaR you gotta clean the stuff up anyhow, so might as well learn something from it :(

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Or a deer fawn, which normally would have pellet shaped scat, may have diarrhea. Diarrhea can point to a number of issues, but we frequently see these little parasites as the culprit.


Comment From v,pa parasites Comment From Dori can check for internal parasites. Comment From 33mama Test for signs of disease? Culture?

Coccidia

Chapin Hardy, WCV: This is Coccidia spp. Coccidia is a parasite that infects the intestinal tract of animals and reproduces within the animal’s cells. Often times it’s asymptomatic and doesn’t really harm the animal.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: However if there is a severe infection, it causes severe diarrhea, which can cause dehydration. Severe dehydration can cause death.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Thankfully with fecal samples and tests, we can easily diagnose and then administer the proper medicine needed to treat the illness. Comment From David in VA. I have to monitor for cocci in our poultry flocks

Chapin Hardy, WCV: So why don’t we go over how we here at the Wildlife Center perform a fecal test?


Chapin Hardy, WCV: To start off, we try to do fecal tests on all our patients and run fecal tests for our education ambassadors once a month.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: In a fecal test, we most often will not see the parasite itself, but instead we look for the parasite’s eggs. We can only confirm that there are parasites when they are breeding and producing eggs.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: We first collect a sample, which has to be at least one gram. That’s about the size of the tip of your thumb.

Great Horned Owl fecal sample Comment From Diane in Waterloo, Ont. Chapin: Could something be missed if the fecal sample is not fresh?

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Yes! We try and get fairly fresh samples.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Then we place the sample in a test tube and add a flotation solution. There are lots of different types of flotation solutions, but the type we use is a zinc and sugar solution.


Zn Sugar solution

Chapin Hardy, WCV: After that we break up the scat and mix it in with the sugar zinc solution. This process releases the eggs from the scat.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Next we strain the mixture, discard the larger material, and collect the remaining liquid in a small Dixie cup.


Strained fecal sample

Chapin Hardy, WCV: We then run the liquid sample for 10 minutes in our centrifuge. The spinning of the centrifuge pulls any remaining solid, heavy material to the bottom of the test tube. A small pellet will form at the bottom of the test tube.

Centrifuge

Chapin Hardy, WCV: We then add more solution so that a positive meniscus is created.


Adding more fecal solution Comment From katiesmom Whoooo sliding in late - but glad to see that ya'll are still talking about Poop!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Glad you could join us katiesmom!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Next to last we place a cover slip on top of the meniscus and wait 10 more minutes. Finally we place the test strip on a slide and look at it under a microscope and see what we find!

Solution with cover slip

Chapin Hardy, WCV: The most common parasites that we see are Coccidia and Capilleria


Coccidia

https://ahdc.vet.cornell.edu/clinpath/modules/UA-SED/agents.htm Comment From Lydia, PA ♥ ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ ♥ Katiesmom has to scroll back

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Sometimes we will find pseudo-parasites. Some parasites are species specific. If that parasite is not inside its intended host, it will have no effect.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: So what might be a parasite for one animal may not be a parasite, but instead a pseudo- parasite for another. For example, a turtle may eat an earthworm that has earthworm parasites. Those parasites are species specific for earthworms and will not affect the turtle.

https://ahdc.vet.cornell.edu/clinpath/modules/UA-SED/agents.htm


Chapin Hardy, WCV: So that earthworm parasite is actually a pseudo-parasite for the turtle. So as you can imagine, it’s very important to know which parasites affect which species.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Once we identify the parasite, we can begin treatment with the appropriate anti-parasitic and get that patient on the road to recovery! Comment From 33mama Will the turtle digest the pseudo-parasites?

Chapin Hardy, WCV: The eggs will come out in the scat and the parasite may exist in the turtle for a while, but eventually it will pass through since it is not in the correct host.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: So as you can see scat is a very useful tool in the veterinary field. But the uses of poop don’t stop there. There are lots of different uses poop for animals and people! Comment From 33mama Fertilizer!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Let’s start with animals. Like I mentioned before animals use poop for communication and marking their territory.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: With a quick sniff, animals can tell who left the poop, whether they were young or old, male or female, and whether they are a dominant or submissive individual.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Let's see... what other ways do animals use scat? Comment From 33mama Some eat it


Chapin Hardy, WCV: Some animals use poop to build their nests such as termites. They build their homes out of mud, water, saliva, chewed plant materials, and their feces. These mounds can be HUGE reaching heights in Africa as tall as 42 ft tall and widths in Australia as wide as 102 ft!

http://harunyahya.com/image/the_miracle_of_termite/nest_temperature.jpg Comment From PaulaR lay their eggs in it (dung beetles and some species of fly) Comment From v,pa flys lay their eggs in it

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Yep poop is critically important to the life cycle of the dung beetle. The male will impress the female with the biggest ball of poo he can roll. He then will present it to the female and if she likes it, they will mate and she will lay her eggs in it.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Then when the larvas hatch, they already have their first meal!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: But not just insects use poop to build their nests, many bird species like penguins and secretary birds use it as well.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Vultures use scat as well. Anyone know how our education ambassador Buttercup uses scat, specifically the urates? To disinfect (their excrement is highly acidic) and cool down his legs!

http://harunyahya.com/image/the_miracle_of_termite/nest_temperature.jpg


Chapin Hardy, WCV: Ok folks, almost done!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: There are many more ways that poop is used in the animal kingdom, but what are some of the uses of scat by people? Comment From v,pa fuel

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Fertilizer and composting material are the most common and well known uses of poop. Scat can have a variety of nutrients that help plants grow as well as bacteria that help break down composting material.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: v,pa you mentioned fuel. You are correct :)

Chapin Hardy, WCV: In rural India, people dry and burn ¼ of all cow manure to provide fuel for 330 million people! Biogas is also produced through decomposing poop.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: The decomposing dung releases methane and carbon dioxide that can be used in biogas generators, which then can be used to produce power for heating, water, and electricity.


Chapin Hardy, WCV: What else? Comment From 33mama Building? Comment From PaulaR hair decoration! Comment From v,pa use dog poop to deter deer

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Anyone heard of "poo paper"? Comment From v,pa no

Chapin Hardy, WCV: It can also be used to make paper! Scat is collected from animals like elephants, pandas, horses, and cows. It is rinsed, boiled, and then mixed with other fibers creating a pulp mixture. Comment From CBear ELEPHANT POO PAPER!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: YES!!!! Comment From Diane in Waterloo, Ont. I've heard of Poo Pots, made from cow dung.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Next it is made into sheets and rolls of paper! It’s eco-friendly and often profits are used to protect wildlife!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: I actually have some! I LOOOOVE IT! Comment From 33mama Well that sounds pretty cool!


My elephant "poo paper" Comment From v,pa that is so cool

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Another interesting use of poop that I learned was the use of elephant poop to ease or alleviate pain.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Many tribes in Africa will collect elephant scat and will smoke it to relieve headaches, sinus pains, and toothaches. It can also be boiled and the steam that is produced can be inhaled to help with labor pains. Comment From PaulaR reminds me of the composted poo some zoos sell cleverly called "zoo doo" Comment From CAL Gross!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Elephants eat a lot of the medicinal plants used by local tribes to cure ailments. Instead of searching for the plants, which can be difficult, they search for elephant poop! Comment From Linda in Vermont CowPots - for planting! Made from cow manure.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: The final and perhaps the most unusual use of scat i found is in a special brew of coffee!


Chapin Hardy, WCV: The Civet cat eats coffee cherries and poops out the coffee beans. Those beans are then sanitized, ground up, and brewed to make a coffee that costs $50 a cup!

Civet cat and coffee poop. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/4999770/Civet-coffee-Kopi-Luwak.html?image=6 Comment From PaulaR Yah know, i'm intellectually very interested in this...but really don't think i want to try that coffee! Comment From 33mama Oh! Ed told us about that coffee once! I will pass on that! Comment From CAL No, thanks. Comment From jtct Oh my! What have I missed?

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Haha! Comment From katiesmom Oh my - now there is a reason NOT to drink coffee!!!!!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Apparently its very bold and bitter in flavor.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: So as you can see, scat can be pretty cool! You can learn so much from it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/4999770/Civet-coffee-Kopi-Luwak.html?image=6

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/4999770/Civet-coffee-Kopi-Luwak.html?image=6


Chapin Hardy, WCV: You not only can learn what animal produced it, but also its diet, behavior, and habitat. It can also be used to paint picture of prehistoric ecosystems. Comment From 33mama Amazing how everything in nature is intertwined!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: It’s used daily here at the Wildlife Center to help us treat and care for our patients and ambassadors, and it can be used in some less conventional ways. Comment From katiesmom I am proud to say - that I will likely not ever have the opportunity to test that out!!!! Comment From 33mama Ya think?

Chapin Hardy, WCV: So that about wraps it up folks! I hope you enjoyed this month’s Wildlife Center Classroom Series on scat! Comment From v,pa Thank you so much, Chapin, for such an interesting class. Truly enjoyed and appreciated. Have a great day.

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Oh and here is the picture of the hippo dung shower I mentioned earlier. It was taken at my old job at Disney by a co-worker!

Courtesy of Abbe Aiello Comment From katiesmom CLAP CLAP CLAP!!!


Comment From Linda in Vermont Thank you very much, Chapin! Hugely educational, and entertaining :) Comment From 33mama Chapin, thank you so much for preparing this class! It was really interesting! Comment From PaulaR Thanks, Chapin! that was very fun and informative! Comment From katiesmom By the way, Chapin - did you know that poop spelled backwards is POOP??? Comment From v,pa Saw that last year at Animal Kingdom Comment From David in VA. Thank you Chapin.. Very informative..

Chapin Hardy, WCV: You all are most welcome! I loved teaching you about how scat is where it's at!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: One more poop pic!

Hippo dung shower Courtesy of Abbe Aiello Comment From Diane in Waterloo, Ont. Thanks Chapin: Very interesting! and the Oxford definition of poop is the stern of a boat. lol Comment From Diane in Waterloo, Ont. And who knew the dictionary definition of "poop" is the stern of a boat! lol Comment From Lydia, PA ♥ ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ ♥ As I said earlier, I have a new appreciation for scat and all that it communicates. and how much animals know form others scat!


Comment From 33mama I paid attention. Working my way up to the 3/22 intro to rehabbing class! Comment From katiesmom Poop deck!

Chapin Hardy, WCV: Ok folks I'm going to duck out! Have a great rest of the afternoon! Comment From Sally in SoCal Wow, what a class Chapin. So much information! Comment From 33mama Looking forward to seeing you at the 3/29 2p open house! You too Lydia! Comment From NCSchoolNurse Loved the session! Scrolling back through it now. Very informative! Thank you!

scat: the scoop on poop

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