IRVINE, Calif. — Before kids in an Orange County class gather to make Christmas ornaments, they will take a hike to look for and study scat. Yes, animal droppings.
Then they will use clay to make palm-sized ornaments that look like the excrement they saw.
The Irvine Ranch Conservancy and Orange County Parks sponsor the free craft-hikes. Conservancy spokeswoman Jenn Starnes says scat is educational. It is a great way to identify animals.
She says California mule deer leave pellets in piles, coyote scat depends on whether the cat ate a plant or an animal, and mountain lion scat often contains small bones and fur from prey.
The next excursion is Friday at 9 a.m., is open to anyone over 7 and requires pre-registration.
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Online:
www.irlandmarks.org/activities
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