Scat: The Incredible Science of Wildlife Poop

Scat: The Incredible Science of Wildlife Poop
Author(s)
Publisher
Age Range
8+
Release Date
April 01, 2025
ISBN
978-0823456185
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Discover how poop can actually help protect our planet in this nonfiction book on the nutrient cycle and scientific problem solving.

What could be more revolting, useless, and downright disgusting than poop? But in nature’s endless and complex cycles, there’s no such thing as waste. The poop of wild animals is full of surprising power: it can be food, shelter, a way for creatures to communicate, and more. For scientists, scat can reveal clues about how animals are responding to climate change threats.

From researchers in India using tiger poop to track the endangered big cat to scientists in Mexico using bat guano to help replant a forest destroyed by fire, Scat shows how scientists are getting creative when it comes to studying animals and protecting ecosystems from climate change.

Award-winning nonfiction author Anita Sanchez’s writing is clear, concise, and lightly punny, providing readers with an accessible introduction to the nutrient cycle and the world of animal poop that is aligned with Next Generation Science Standards. Back matter includes a glossary, a photo guide to common animal scat, and more.

A Books for a Better Earth™ Title

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Editor review

1 review
Fun way to learn!
(Updated: June 15, 2026)
Overall rating
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
Learning Value
 
5.0
Scat: The Incredible Science of Wildlife Poop is a fun and interesting read about, well... poop, while simultaneously covering the science of ecosystems. It is a fascinating look at animal waste products presented in an unexpected approach.

Scat is an incredibly educational read, suitable for readers 3rd grade through JR high, but readers of all ages will delight in this punny book, even if browsers only flip through reading some of the many captions and side bars and glancing at the photos, they are sure to learn a wealth of knowledge.
The body of the text is broken down into sections detailing how the poop of different animals benefit the environment and the food web in their habitats. There are unusual plants and creatures featured throughout the book that use scat in unusual ways.
The sad story of the end of the passenger pigeon and the consequence of human short-sightedness is eye-opening even while the author puts a positive spin on its end since it served as a wake-up call to environmentalists. This is one of those rare titles that offers solutions to problems while highlighting something that many might find disgusting.

With several colorful photographs, several of them showing animals in vulnerable positions, and a field guide to scat, Scat: The Incredible Science of Wildlife Poop is a great way to engage young readers in learning about the nutrition cycle.
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