Accurate data on presence/absence and spatial distribution for fauna species is key to their
conservation. Collecting such data, however, can be time consuming, laborious and costly,
in particular for fauna species characterised by low densities, large home ranges, cryptic or
elusive behaviour. For such species, including koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), indicators of
species presence can be a useful shortcut: faecal pellets (scats), for instance, are widely
used. Scat surveys are not without their difficulties and often contain a high false negative …