What scat is that? – take the quiz
Posted on 27 February, 2020 by Ivan
Have you ever been out walking and wondered ‘what scat is that?’ You can call it scat, faeces, or just plain poo, but if you’re not too squeamish, you can learn a lot from animal poo. Wild animal poo is known as scat, and it can be very useful in working out what species are nearby because each type of scat is different. It is a fascination among the scientific world and the broader community alike.
Of course, some scat will begin to dry out and look different with age, so if you really know your business, you’ll be able to tell how long ago the animal was there. It is well known that Koala poo, for example, goes from a moist green to something that looks more like dried out grass pellets. Regardless of the name you give it, most people go out of their way to avoid digested animal waste – but not the most dedicated scientists and animal lovers.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the animal world, identifying scats can tell you a lot about a creature, including what they eat, where they go and even how they live. The ABC has created a fun ‘What scat is that’ online quiz, which has excellent images and questions to assist learning. It is part of the ABC’s ‘How to Summer’ science series, which covers a variety of topics including ants, sea-creatures and scats.
Take the scat quiz to test your skills and learn a bit more about another survey technique and potential curiosity wonder!
To take the quiz – click here
Around two centimetres wide and high, this scat forms almost a perfect cube. Which animal left it? (photo: ABC)
Possibly emu
What animal leaves a sloppy dark scat – like a small cow pat. Central Victoria.
Good question, can you please email us a photo: info@connectingcountry.org.au, thank you