A somewhat unusual request is echoing through the region of Västerbotten in Sweden.
The country administrative board is asking the public for help gathering bear excrement for a critical wildlife research project.
This initiative, conducted every five years, aims to assess the bear population's size, distribution, and health across these areas.
How to do it
The task of collecting bear droppings is no small feat.
According to the county administration, around 2,000 samples are needed to ensure the study's accuracy.
The logistics of collecting such a vast number of samples necessitate public involvement, so the administration depends heavily on those who visit Sweden's forests and fields for assistance.
Kits are provided by the county authorities, but you can also stick the droppings in a clean bag or container and keep it in the freezer until you submit it. Just be careful not to touch the bear droppings so that you don't contaminate them.
Wildlife research
Once collected, the samples are sent for DNA analysis, which helps determine the individual bear's genetic makeup.
This data is necessary for calculating the number and distribution of the bear population.
By involving the public, the project also seeks to raise awareness about bears and their role in the Swedish ecosystem.
Talking to the newspaper Västerbottens-Kuriren, Jonas Gustafsson of the Västerbotten county administration emphasised the importance of widespread participation.
"The more samples we get, the better. With a large county… it is essential that hunters and the general public also send in droppings," he said.
For those unsure about identifying bear droppings, Gustafsson provided some tips.
"A typical bear dropping contains a lot of blueberries, especially in autumn. And it is often quite a large pile."
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