COCO monitors marine animals by collecting their DNA from the water! This is a technique known as environmental DNA or eDNA. By looking for genetic material in the water, we can tell what species were recently in an area.

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Community members collect the samples and then mail them to Dalhousie University where we will process them to determine what animals the DNA came from.

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All sampling materials, including shipping boxes to return filters, are provided to COCO volunteers for free!​​ Species results will be emailed to community volunteers as well as posted here on the COCO website.