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EDMONTON – Find it. Scoop it. Submit it. It’s just that easy.

As part of a new pilot project aimed at learning more about the park’s bears, Jasper National Park is looking for dedicated volunteers to collect bear scat this summer.

Hikers will first be trained to properly collect and handle the samples. After that, they will be asked to gather samples of bear droppings from along the park’s trails.

Using their handy scat samplings kits, volunteers will place the poo in a vial and take a picture of it using a smartphone. The vials all have QR codes on them which will send the details directly to the park’s bear biologists.

The technology will also use the hiker’s GPS location to track the location of the sample. All of the information will then be used to learn more about Jasper’s bear population.

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“Who knew that poo could reveal so much?” touts a description of the program on Jasper National Park’s website.

The bear scat pilot project is just one of the many new programs offered by the National Park this summer.

Visitors can also explore the stunning Rocky Mountains by air with the new paragliding and hang gliding programs.

A new wind sport will also be offered. Traction kiting allows people to be pulled by a kite over Jasper’s picturesque scenery.

After an extremely popular 2014 season, the park has added 10 new oTENTiks to Whistler’s campground. The cozy canvas-walled tent cabins allow people to rough it, with all the comforts of home.

For more information on the new summer programs, visit Jasper National Park’s website.

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