The term 害羞草研究所榙irty job害羞草研究所� doesn害羞草研究所檛 quite do this one justice.
The Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is hoping to transform some of the West Coast害羞草研究所檚 least squeamish locals into 害羞草研究所榩oop fairies害羞草研究所� to help monitor wolves on the West Coast.
Each valiant 害羞草研究所榩oop fairy害羞草研究所� will be taught tracking techniques as well as to identify wolf scat and differentiate it from other predators害羞草研究所� feces as part of the uniquely hands-on citizen science project, according to Todd Windle, a resource management officer with the Park Reserve.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a great way to get outside and learn more about natural history while contributing to coexistence with wolves and a larger understanding collectively,害羞草研究所� Windle told the Westerly News. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a pretty cool way to get involved in conservation in your area.害羞草研究所�
The Poop Fairy Program is part of the Park Reserve害羞草研究所檚 ongoing multi-year Wild About Wolves project designed to increase coexistence and decrease conflicts between humans and wolves both inside and outside the Park Reserve害羞草研究所檚 borders.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e working across boundaries just like the wolves do,害羞草研究所� he said.
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Interested 害羞草研究所榩oop fairies害羞草研究所� must be able to commit to at least one poo hunt per month for one year and they cautioned volunteers not to expect goldmines each time they search.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檇 probably be lucky for the average volunteer to pick up one or two in a month realistically,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淥nce you kind of start looking and get a little bit more of a trained eye you can detect them a little bit more obviously, but it害羞草研究所檚 not something that害羞草研究所檚 going to be a huge volume that害羞草研究所檚 for sure.害羞草研究所�
He added that anyone familiar with walking a dog, will be pleasantly surprised by what they pick up.
害羞草研究所淲ild carnivore scat is actually less smelly and less disgusting than processed dog food for sure,害羞草研究所� he said.
Windle said people who sign up will be assigned to areas they already enjoy visiting.
害羞草研究所淥bviously there are lots of people that are out and about enjoying the outdoors here whether its on beaches or trails or old logging roads. So, we害羞草研究所檙e just asking for a little bit of help from people while they害羞草研究所檙e out there,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淚t would be wonderful to get a nice little group of local volunteers and, I think, for the people that are going to be interested in it, they害羞草研究所檙e going to be really interested in it, as weird as that sounds. And then, for other people it害羞草研究所檚 clearly going to just not be their cup of tea.害羞草研究所�
He said the wolf poop collected will be sent to a lab where it will be mined for a myriad of valuable information like diet, kinship and health.
害羞草研究所淵ou can actually get a lot of information from scat,害羞草研究所� he said.
He said poop fairies will be trained to use GPS devices to map out where wolf feces are being found and DNA will be compared to find out how wolves within packs are related to each other as well as neighbouring packs.
Learning individual diets will also help researchers understand whether different packs are focusing on different prey species while also gaining a better understanding of what wolves are hunting for at different times of year.
That could help the Park Reserve focus its management on areas where wolves are likely to be finding those prey species to better help humans avoid them.
Poo collectors will also be asked to leave some remains of the feces behind, because wolves are communicating with scent marking.
害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 want to completely remove the whole sample because it害羞草研究所檚 also how they害羞草研究所檙e communicating with each other.害羞草研究所�
Wolves were biologically extricated from Vancouver Island in the 1960害羞草研究所檚 with occasional sightings being reported once every few years through the 1970害羞草研究所檚 and 1980害羞草研究所檚.
害羞草研究所淏asically 21 years ago now, they kind of showed up and started establishing packs and territories again,害羞草研究所� Windle explained. 害羞草研究所淎s that害羞草研究所檚 happened, so has an increase in conflicts between people and wolves.害羞草研究所�
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He said improving the West Coast害羞草研究所檚 ability to coexist with its wolf population is vital because wolves are a keystone species that heavily impact their environment and added that the Park Reserve is mandated to protect the area害羞草研究所檚 ecological integrity and biodiversity.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e also a really important species spiritually and culturally to the Nuu-chah-nulth Nations that we share the land with,害羞草研究所� he said.
Anyone interested in becoming a poop fairy is encouraged to contact Windle at 250-726-7165 ext. 227 or Todd.Windle@canada.ca.
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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