How to Identify Animal Droppings or Poops

Animal poop identification has been an important tool since the beginning of time. By paying attention to poop on the path, skilled hunters could know which animals were in the area. By evaluating the warmth and freshness of a dung pile, a hunter could know how close the bear or elk might be. Whether humans were the hunter or potentially the hunted, dung piles along the path alerted many astute hunters to danger or reward. The plains Indians used bison chips or dung for fuel when wood was scarce. The Sioux called bison dung “nik-nik” which refers to any bovine feces. Piles of scat in nature are a wealth of information to biologists, naturalists, and researchers. Scientists can determine not only which animals are present and what they are eating, but a detailed analysis of poop can also help scientists determine the health of the overall ecosystem. DNA can be extracted from poop and individual animals can be identified and studied by scooping their poop. By analyzing animal poop scientists can measure things like stress and reproductive hormones, toxins in the environment, and the availability of food in the environment. Zoos working with the critically endangered white rhino measure hormone levels in their poop to ensure successful mating. To ensure they are monitoring the correct dung pile, they mix a specific color of non-toxic glitter with the rhino’s meal. When they need a specific sample, they simply search the enclosure for droppings with red or blue glitter! Some scientists even study the physics of poop. Which animal species turds sink vs which species turds do not sink. Scientists have measured and quantified the odor of animal scat, from least smelly to overwhelmingly odorous. It was determined that larger animals defecate faster than smaller animals. Of course, they release more excrement, but it takes about the same amount of time for an elephant to do his business as a dog. In case you were wondering, elephants release poop at about 6 cm per second; a human releases poop at about 2 cm per second.

Droppings or scats can tell us a lot about which animals have been visiting our gardens, parks and countryside, including hedgehogs, foxes and badgers. Our expert guide explains how to identify which poos belong to which species. Plus, animal droppings from species from around the world – and fungi and insects you might spot on droppings. Mammals can be elusive and sometimes the first clue that they are there isn’t the flash of a tail or the flick of an ear poking out of the foliage but a field sign – like poo! Often, finding and identifying the poo you find in your garden or on a walk will be the only way you know that a particular species of mammal is nearby.

Droppings are usually left along territorial boundaries, on prominent features of the landscape or next to discarded prey such as a plucked pigeon, but you can also find them right in the middle of a path, clearing or field. Regularly used poop spots are known as latrines.

While mammal poo is relatively easy to identify, the droppings of different birds often look the same – white splodges containing a paste of waste products. But those of a few species, including the three illustrated here, are more distinctive.

A careful eye, a guarded sniff and (sometimes) a careful inspection using disposable gloves can often reveal the species responsible for the droppings.

Identifying Types of Wildlife Poop

All fun aside, you are probably here because you have channeled your inner naturalist and have located a mysterious pile of poo somewhere in or near your home or business. You too can tell a lot about the nearby wildlife by locating and examining poop. Sometimes poop is an indicator of wildlife getting too close for comfort. Whether the mysterious poop is in your attic or on your back deck, learn to quickly identify your potential nuisance species of wildlife by identifying their poop.

Every parent who has ever changed a diaper quickly becomes an expert in what a “normal” bowel movement looks like for their child. Diapers that “don’t look right” have been the impetus for many anxious calls to the pediatrician. Similarly, the excrement of every animal species has unique characteristics. Based on the food and amount of moisture they consume, their overall size, and the shape of the intestines and exit hole, each species of animal’s poop has distinguishing characteristics. For example, beaver poop looks like wood chips tightly compressed together, and wombat feces is ejected in the shape of a cube.

You probably don’t have wombats or beavers in your attic, but differentiating between bat guano and squirrel pellets could definitely be relevant to the health and safety of your home. Continue reading and looking at the pictures of common nuisance wildlife droppings to help you identify who might be hanging around your home.

What are the things to look for?

• Size – if you don’t have a ruler with you, taking a photo with something you know the size of e.g. a coin or a standard biro pen can help
• Smell – is it foul or sweet smelling?
• Shape – different types of mammal will have very different shaped droppings so this can really help narrow it down
• Colour – colour can vary depending on what the animal ate but this can still be a good clue
• Contents – can you see clues as to what the animal ate e.g. fur, bones, seeds or invertebrate shells?

Please note that it’s important NOT to touch any poo directly as it can be harmful. In order to break it apart and get a better look, it’s best to use a tool, such as a small stick.

6 ANIMALS KNOWN FOR HAVING WEIRD POOP

POOP IN THE WILD

Typically, poop is a topic that people avoid. After all, why would anyone want to talk about something so nasty? As unsightly or smelly as it may be, the act of pooping is something that every animal on this planet does. Some animals poop in very interesting, and often hilarious, ways. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at six animals known for their weird poop or pooping habits.

1. PARROT FISH HAVE SAND POOP

Did you know that there’s a creature with poop that consists of nearly all sand? That little critter is called the parrot fish. What’s even more interesting is that the sand is nearly all new. That’s right, the parrot fish makes its own sand!

How does this happen? This phenomenon occurs because the parrot fish’s diet is high in coral. As its body breaks down the coral, it poops out sand. In fact, experts discovered that many of those beautiful white, sandy beaches that people love in Hawaii consist almost completely of parrot fish poop.

See, poop isn’t all that bad. In fact, some people pay good money just to travel to Hawaii and relax in it.

2. WOMBAT POOP IS SQUARE AND USED TO ATTRACT A MATE

Wombats are known for having oddly shaped poop. In fact, it comes out as a perfect square. Also, wombats make plenty of these square pellets every day. On average, a wombat will poop 80 to 100 square pellets daily.

Unlike most animals, wombats use their poop in interesting ways. For example, they line the edges of their territories with it to claim it as theirs. At the same time, these poop pellets are used to attract mates. The poop indicates to female wombats that the males are on the prowl for companions. This interesting poop fact is one that most people are probably happy that humans don’t share.

Why do wombats poop out squares? They have a very slow digestive tract, and their intestines have ridges. On top of that, the wombat diet is very high in fiber because they eat grass and bark. What comes out are hard and compact square poop pellets.

3. SLOTHS PUT THEMSELVES AT RISK EVERY TIME THEY POOP

It’s no secret that sloths are slow, so it stands to reason that their defecation process is also pretty slow. In fact, they’re said to only poop about once a week. As a result, the poop builds up in their system. Then, sloths lose about 50% of their body weight every time they relieve themselves.

While that fact is interesting enough, consider this as well. Sloths have a habit of only pooping on the ground. This is odd because they’re most vulnerable on the ground, which is why they spend so much of their lives in trees. Scientists believe that sloths only poop once a week to minimize the amount of time that they spend on the ground, which helps keep them safe.

4. PANDAS POOP 50 POUNDS PER DAY

When you think of animals that take large poops, you probably think of elephants or maybe horses. What about pandas? These animals consume a ton of food each day. In fact, the average adult panda eats between 26 and 84 pounds of food daily.

With that much intake of food, it stands to reason that pandas produce a lot of waste. How much? Close to 50 pounds per day! This is why they need full-time keepers at the zoo. Between preparing large meals, the zookeepers also clear out 50 pounds of poop per panda.

5. CAPYBARAS PRODUCE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF POOP

Capybaras are one of the few types of animals on the planet that have the odd ability to produce two different types of poop. One is the typical poop that you would expect. It’s black or brown, very hard and devoid of any nutritional value.

The second poop is green, soft and packed with nutrients. These are nutrients that other capybara can consume later when they need a pick-me-up. Think of it as a way to get the most nutritional value out of everything a capybara eats. If they eat something and don’t require all of the nutrients, they simply poop it out for others to enjoy later.

6. TURKEY VULTURES CLEAN WITH THEIR POOP

With a name like turkey vulture, it should come as no surprise that these are interesting creatures. In fact, this animal has multiple uses for its poop. It’s not uncommon to see turkey vultures pooping on their own feet. While some believe that they do this because they don’t know any better, there’s actually a good explanation.

First, turkey vulture poop is filled with good bacteria that can kill bad bacteria. It keeps their feet clean after they scavenge from dead animals. After all, you can’t go digging through dead animals without getting some bad bacteria on your feet.

Second, the birds use their poop to cool themselves off on hot days. Again, this pooping habit wouldn’t translate well in the human world.

Animal Poop Facts:

Your poop comes in all shapes and sizes, well so do animals. Below are some shocking facts about different animals’ poop and their digestive habits.

Bat Guano Contains Potassium Nitrate

Bat poop, also known as “guano” has been used by soldiers in multiple wars to make explosives. Guano consists mainly of saltpeter, also known as potassium nitrate, a key ingredient in explosives. In the War of 1812, United States soldiers used guano for gunpowder and in World War I soldiers dried guano for explosives.

Sloths Do a Weekly Poo Dance

Sloths aren’t just known for sleeping all day in trees. They come down once a week to do their business.  Sloths will hold onto a trunk of a tree with their forelegs while standing their hind legs and shake their bodies side to side as they relieve themselves. Some experts call it the “poo dance.”

Wombats Crap Nearly 100 Cubed Turds Each Day

Wombats, a furry short-legged marsupial native to Australia, poop nearly 100 cubic feces each day despite having round anuses. Scientists believe that Wombats deposit cubes to help mark their territory.  Wombats will climb on top of rocks and logs and defecate to mark their territory. These flat-sided feces aren’t as likely to roll off from these platforms.

The scientists to discover and study this poopy revelation were awarded the 2019 Ig Nobel Prize, a satirical prize to celebrate unusual and trivial achievements in scientific research.

 Pandas Poop 50 Pounds Every Day

Pandas spend 10–16 hours a day eating, mainly on bamboo. Eating that often has to be delivered somewhere. Pandas poop on average 40 times a day, amounting to around 50 pounds each day. You’re most likely not pooping that often, if you are, seek medical attention. However, you can help the environment by investing in bamboo toilet paper and bamboo towels.

Architects Must Account for Bird Droppings 

Birds can poop anywhere from 15 to 50 times a day, depending on size. Therefore, architects must account for bird droppings, especially pigeon poop when constructing rooftops and skyscrapers. The acid in bird droppings can eat into multiple materials such as wood, vinyl, and stone surfaces like marble, which can cause permanent damage.

Coffee Produced From Cat Crap Can Cost up to $600 per Pound

The Asian Palm Civet cat helps produce one of the most expensive coffees in the world. Civets eat coffee beans and during the digestion process, they undergo fermentation, giving the beans a unique flavor. This fecal matter is highly sought after and is collected and processed by farmers and others. It is sold as Kopi Luwak or Civet Coffee and can cost between $35 and $100 for a cup or $100 to $600 per pound.

There are actually a wide variety of terms used for animal poop. This will vary from location to location and between professions.

For scientists, the technical term is feces, for example. Other standard terms include dung, excrement, animal droppings, spoor, and scat (though usually for carnivores only — though not always).

Farmers will also tend to refer to cow or chicken poo specifically as manure. As you are probably aware such droppings tend to be used as fertilizer.

Human poo tends to be called stool by medical professionals — though we are confident you have an entire lexicon of slang or swear words for it too.

The largest animal poop in the natural world belongs to that of the blue whale. Each bowel movement of these enormous, magnificent creatures can be more than several hundred liters of excrement at a time!

“The blue whale is the largest animal on the planet. Its poo is described as smelling like a dog’s, with the consistency of bread crumbs. A blue whale can excrete up to 200 liters of poo in one bowel movement.”

Are there any animals that don’t poop?

• Tardigrades – These little alien-like critters only excrete when they molt. So any “fecal” matter produced is not pooped out as we would describe it.
• Demodex mites (face mites) – These little stowaways lack any form of an anus. They store up any waste in special large cells in their intestines. This waste is stored for their entire life until they eventually die.
• Jellyfish – Jellyfish is yet another animal that lacks an anus. Though they excrete waste, they don’t technically poop like most animals.

• From the size and shape of the poopto its texture and color, animal waste can provide important insights into an animal’s diet, habitat, and health.
• Some animal poop is so distinctive that it’s instantly recognizable, while others are less well-known but just as fascinating.

How do you identify animals from their poop?

1. Deer droppings are pretty characteristic

Deer feces or fewmets (as it is sometimes called), is a very characteristic animal dropping. They tend to look like Raisinets or pellet-shaped pieces that are usually either dark brown or sometimes black.

They also tend to be scattered in neat piles around a deer’s habitat. During summer and fall (autumn), their droppings can be found clumped together when their diet consists of high-moisture foods like berries, apples and succulent plants.

During colder months, their droppings will tend to be lighter in color and are usually harder than during the summer. This is because their diet at this time of year consists of woody fibers.

The larger the pile of deer poop the larger the animal who made them. Interestingly, if you find larger, shiny piles in heavy cover this usually indicates it came from a buck deer’s bedding area.

2. Brown and Black Beer poo is pretty gross

Brown and black bear poop are similar, with brown bear droppings tending to be larger. If you are out and about where these magnificent animals roam and you find a big pile of poo, it’s probably made by a bear. Bear poo is very similar to human poo — it is tubular (usually) but is obviously usually larger. Depending on what the bear has eaten, the poo will usually be tubular, with a blunt end and a slight taper.

While bears prefer eating meat and carrion, their poo can also include grass, roots, and fruits. It is also possible to find poos with the remains of ants, pine nuts and berries.

If the bear has been gorging on other animals, expect to find bones, hair and other fibers present.

If the bear has just been eating strawberries or fish, their poos can be more semi-liquid than normal. On this occasion, their poo resembles a cow pile or pat.

Raccoon poop is “interesting”

Raccoon poo is fairly characteristic in shape and location. These little critters tend to habitually defecate in so-called raccoon “latrines” for extended periods of time.

These tend to be found at the bases of trees, in tree forks, raised areas or fallen trees, to name but a few. The poops themselves tend to range from black to reddish. However, they will bleach and turn white over time. This is owing to their omnivorous lifestyle.

Poops are often granular-looking, tend to be segmented and roughly tube-shaped and can be between 2 inches (5 cm) and 3 inches (7.5 cm) long.

Raccoon poop tends to break down very easily when disturbed and can resemble dog poo at times. However, it will tend to contain undigested food like seeds and hair. A word of warning about raccoon droppings, however. Do not touch them or go near them — they often contain parasitic roundworms and eggs.

Hedgehog droppings are about 5 cm long, cylindrical and generally quite dark. They might be filled with bits of insects and worms.

Foxes produce dog-like droppings that are usually pointy at one end and full of fur, feathers, tiny bones, seeds and berries. In rural areas, fox poo is quite dark, but in urban areas, where foxes eat human food waste, it can be lighter. Fresh droppings have a distinctively musky or ‘foxy’ smell.

Droppings are left in clusters of little, round, hard balls. They are usually yellowy-brown or green in colour, and full of grass. Hare droppings (on the right) tend to be slightly bigger and flatter than rabbit droppings (left hand side).

Badgers poo in shallow pits called ‘latrines’. Their droppings vary from firm and sausage-shaped, to softer, slimier and darker if they’ve been eating lots of worms! Badger droppings have a sweet, musky smell.

Because deer regurgitate and chew their food twice before digesting it, there are no obvious contents in their droppings. They produce smooth, shiny, dark pellets that are pointy at one end and often stuck together in clusters. Deer that live in the UK include Chinese water deer, fallow deer, muntjac, red deer, roe deer and sika.

Both these mammals are found in similar wetland habitats. Otters produce droppings known as ‘spraints’, which are left in prominent places along riverbanks, on rocks or under bridges to mark out their territories. Otter spraints are usually dark greenish, slimy and full of fish bones, scales and crayfish parts. The ‘scats’ of American mink are smaller, black and contain fur, feathers and bones. Fresh otter poo smells like jasmine tea, while mink poo has a much less pleasant odour.

Though they inhabit similar wetland habitats, the droppings of water voles and rats have several key differences. Water voles leave their droppings in large ‘latrines’ (piles), close to the water, whereas rats leave theirs in smaller numbers along paths. Water vole droppings are smaller than rat droppings and are rounded at both ends; rat droppings are flattened at one end and pointy at the other. Water vole droppings are green, brown or purple, have a putty-like texture and no strong smell. Rat droppings are light brown to black, slimy and soft, and smell unpleasantly like wee. Mice produce very similar droppings to rats, but they are much smaller.

Bats

Bats leave droppings where they roost, so they can often be found stuck to walls or on the ground under holes or trees. They have a rough appearance and are filled with chewed-up bits of insect. UK bat species include alcathoe, barbastelle, Bechstein’s, brown long-eared, pipistrelle, Daubenton’s and greater horseshoe.

What do I do if I come across animal poo?

You might encounter animal poo when you are at home, either in your garden or your outhouses, or when you’re out in the countryside. To identify it, take a note of the size, shape and colour, and break it apart with a stick to see what’s inside. But never touch it – it can contain harmful bacteria!

Owl pellets

Owls regurgitate parts of their food that they cannot digest, such as the fur and bones of small mammals and birds. These ‘pellets’ can look like animal droppings, but do not smell and gradually turn grey as they dry out.

Compiled  & Shared by- This paper is a compilation of groupwork provided by the

Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)

 Image-Courtesy-Google

 Reference-On Request.