Getting the drop on Norway’s bears

Norwegian researchers want visitors to the country’s forests and trails to drop them a line — along with some droppings. The country’s wildlife agency is asking hikers to send in bear excrement and hair for DNA samples in an effort to estimate the size of Norway’s brown bear population, which has been decimated by hunting. Data specialist Jonas Kindberg said samples are crucial to helping scientists compile accurate numbers of the endangered species. There were just 136 brown bears identified in the 2014 census.