Oregon Hikers

If you're hiking Mt. Hood this summer, please join this important survey!
Cascadia Wild is conducting a scat survey for the Sierra Nevada Red Fox, a rare subspecies of fox found only in the Cascades and Sierras - in Oregon they have only been found above 4,000 feet. The genetic information from this survey will tell us about their habitat use and population diversity, which will help conservation researchers, advocates, and managers determine what kind of protections are needed on the mountain.

Collection and identification are easy to do and learn! All information, training, and materials will be provided.
If you're interested, send us an email at [email protected] or attend our Orientation on July 11th at 6:30 pm at the Leaven Community Center in NE Portland.

Details can be found at https://www.facebook.com/events/657345844780948/ or http://www.cascadiawild.org/scat-surveys.html.

I see a fair amount of similar scat but I've always thought it was coyote

Like the Zigzag Trail between Burnt Lake and Paradise Park trail

How can you tell the difference between coyote and fox?

Does the fox leave it's scat on the trail?

That's a great question!
Many animals will leave their scat directly on a trail, as a way of marking territory and also since they are using trails to travel. That is most often where we find red fox scat and why we are looking for hikers to help out. Zigzag trail is about the area that we would expect to see foxes, too!

Red fox, coyote, and marten scat are similar. The main difference between coyote and fox is that coyote is larger, about the size of your thumb, and red fox is about the size of your pinky. Marten scat will also be much more tapered and twisted. There is a .pdf on our website that gives a little more info on scat ID. http://www.cascadiawild.org/scat-surveys.html
Since fox vs coyote scat ID can be a little tricky, we generally advise our volunteers, "when in doubt, pack it out" - we'll double-check the scat to confirm its ID before it's sent off for analysis.

If you'd like more info, you are welcome to come to our orientation or set up a time to meet with our program coordinator, Teri Lysak. Happy to answer more questions here, too.

Thanks!

Yeah, I've done scat collection for survey looking for cascade red fox and I was told really not to try and figure out whether it is fox or coyote. Just collect it and they will do the DNA test to determine it.

Orientation is tonight!
Join us to learn about the Sierra Nevada red fox: its history, environment, and scat!
Learn how to help collect crucial information on one of the most rare mammals in North America.

Thursday, July 11th, 6:30 pm
Leaven Community Center, 5431 NE 20th Ave, Portland OR (corner of NE 20th Ave and Killingsworth).

If you are interested in helping, but cannot attend orientation, contact us anytime this summer to get set up with all the info and materials you will need.
[email protected]

Thank you all!