Collecting marsupial poo to save the lives of orphaned joeys

December 28, 2023 11:57 PM

Angela Russell collects marsupial poo. A crack team of volunteers across Australia helps her out. The Marsupial Microbiome Poop Troop collects the droppings of wild marsupials to help save the lives of orphaned joeys.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (3 comments total)

Hehe. A "crack" team is collecting the poos. Darn right they are.
posted by dogbusonline at 5:11 AM on December 29, 2023 [3 favorites]

There’s Darryl, who was devastated when the roof blew off his house in a storm and he was without power for two weeks. Not for his wrecked house or loss of possessions, but because his collection of possum poo thawed and he had to throw it away and start again.

Now that’s a dedicated collector! Although I bet he was a little devastated by his wrecked house, even if you can’t really have a possum poo collection without a place to store it….
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:17 AM on December 29, 2023 [2 favorites]

I love the author.

After retiring from Victoria Ambulance Service after being diagnosed with Early Onset Parkinson's Disease, I enrolled in a Bachelor of Biology at Latrobe University as a mature-age student. On completion of my degree, I began an Honours year looking at Roadkill Patterns in Melbourne's outer suburbs. After a five year break, I have returned to Latrobe to research Marsupial Microbiomes as a graduate researcher and PhD candidate. I hope the information gathered will assist wildlife carers in their important and difficult job of rearing and releasing orphaned and injured wildlife.

posted by pracowity at 10:21 AM on December 29, 2023 [4 favorites]