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URL: https://dx.doi.org/DOI:10.17504/protocols.io.933h8qn

Authors: Justin L Brown, Binta Wold, Rachel N Larson

Summary: This scat survey protocol has been developed for use by National Park Service staff of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to facilitate the training of citizen science volunteers to collect and analyze coyote scat for the Los Angeles Urban Coyote Project. This protocol provides instructions for the scat project managers to supervise volunteers and train them on how to:Walk a scat transect and collect scatIdentify coyote scat in the fieldDissect scatIdentify major prey itemsIn addition, sections of this protocol detail actions carried out by NPS staff, such as volunteer supervision and quality control, and the protocol for sterilizing and washing scats. We hope this protocol is an effective tool for others who are interested in starting a citizen science scat collection/dissection project in their own research.

Associated Publications: Larson RN, Brown JL, Karels T, Riley SPD (2020) Effects of urbanization on resource use and individual specialization in coyotes (Canis latrans) in southern California. PLoS ONE 15(2): e0228881. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228881

Affiliations: National Park Service, National Park Service, California State University Northridge

External URL: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0228881

Version: 1

Publication Date: 2019

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