How colonial conservation erases Indigenous scat knowledge while commodifying biodiversity data
Original framing: “The power of poo: why conservationists love animal scat” — The Conversation - Global
Indigenous peoples across the globe have long used scat as a tool for ecological management, from the Māori *mātauranga Māori* (traditional knowledge) of reading bird droppings to predict food shortages, to the Inuit practice of interpreting seal scat to assess marine health. These systems are not 'primitive' but highly sophisticated, integrating spiritual, practical, and ecological dimensions in ways that Western science often fails to replicate. The exclusion of Indigenous scat knowledge from conservation discourse reflects a broader erasure of Indigenous stewardship, which has maintained biodiversity for millennia without the need for invasive sampling or genetic databases. For example, the Warlpiri people of Australia use scat to track the health of their land, a practice that predates colonial contact by thousands of years.
The sensationalized framing of scat as a 'powerful' conservation tool obscures a far more complex and contentious story: one where Indigenous ecological knowledge—centuries of refined practice around scat interpretation—is being systematically erased while its economic value is captured by corporations and academic institutions.
The historical pattern is clear—colonialism suppressed Indigenous knowledge to justify land theft, and today’s conservation tech industry repeats this dynamic by treating scat as a commodity rather than a sacred or communal resource. What’s missing from the narrative is the recognition that Indigenous peoples have always been the true conservationists, using scat not for data extraction but for reciprocal relationships with the land. The solution lies in dismantling the power structures that gatekeep conservation knowledge—through Indigenous-led tech hubs, ethical sampling frameworks, and the repatriation of ecological knowledge—while centering the voices of those most affected. The trickster here is the myth of scat as a neutral scientific tool; the real story is about who controls the narrative, and who benefits from its erasure.