What droppings can tell us
Monday, June 22, 2015 - 08:20
in Biology & Nature
If you want to find out about the shy Eurasian otter, its droppings are a fascinating source of information. By isolating DNA from otter droppings -- known as spraint -- researchers can not only identify individual animals but also estimate the size of the population. But it's important to know how to interpret the information correctly. A team of researchers reports on the benefits and drawbacks of the method.