Evaluation of methods for detecting nonfluorescent colored flakes and flake persistence in coyote scats

Effective markers are needed to investigate coyote behavior, especially in areas of feeding and bait acceptance. We evaluated three methods for detecting nonfluorescent colored flakes in coyote scats and the persistence of flakes in stored scats. Captive coyotes were offered tallow baits with 100 mg each of red, green, blue and a mixture of red and green flakes. Scats deposited daily for 5 days after bait consumption were examined for flakes on the surface, after crushing and after washing in nylon bags. Post-baiting, correct-colored flakes were detected for an average of about image days in both surface and crushed-scat examinations and for nearly 4 days in washed scats, which was significantly longer. Preparing bags and washing must be done carefully. The flakes were persistent in scats — no color fading or color separation from the silver-colored bases was observed during 8 months of weathering and storage. The flakes made durable coyote-scat markets that were reliably detected with simple, inexpensive materials. The scat-washing technique described would probably be useful in detecting most inert particles delivered in baits.