Partnered with researchers in the Petén Region of Guatemala, we supported multi-species carnivore monitoring by assisting in the detection and collection of scat of jaguar, puma, ocelot, margay, jaguarundi, gray fox, and tayra. These elusive carnivores play critical roles in structuring tropical forest communities, but cryptic behavior and dense vegetation make traditional survey methods challenging.

Recent research suggests that differences in hunting strategies and vertical space use — such as felids that hunt both on the ground and in trees — influence how these predators coexist in the same landscape. By locating high-quality scat samples across habitats, detection dogs provide essential genetic and dietary information that helps scientists understand species presence, individual identity, diet composition, and trophic interactions within this complex ecosystem.

Scat analysis supports food web studies by revealing prey preferences and niche partitioning among sympatric carnivores, which can inform conservation strategies to maintain ecological balance and reduce human-wildlife conflict. By enhancing collection efficiency in rugged and species-rich terrain, this project contributes valuable data to long-term efforts to study and conserve Neotropical carnivore communities.