Greening efforts in urban areas create novel ecosystems that place large human populations and wildlife in closer proximity than ever before. For this reason, research into the ecological connections of urban areas is needed, especially regarding potential changes in important predator and prey dynamics. The collection and analysis of mammal hair can provide useful insight into these understudied trophic connections. However, active collection methods – such as salvage collection from dead individuals, live trapping, or the darting and sedating of individuals – face barriers to use in urban areas, including logistics and public perception. For example, these methods can be expensive and difficult to execute in spaces with high levels of pedestrian presence. They can also be stressful for wildlife and can appear, to untrained members of the public, to be harmful to subjects. Here we describe methodology for designing and implementing non-trapping passive hair collection equipment for small mammals and mesopredators in urban spaces and suggest a technique for using field equipment to foster connections between community members and active research using QR codes and linked, interpretive materials. In this study, we validated the use of passive hair collection equipment in urban spaces for two mammal groups – small mammals and mesopredators. Over the course of two sampling seasons (14 June-9 August 2022 and 28 October-12 November 2022), small mammal and mesopredator sampling equipment were deployed at 16 parks, preserves, and nature areas across the rural-urban gradient of Philadelphia, PA. For small mammals, we deployed small mammal hair tubes (SMHT) constructed from PVC pipe and baited with birdseed and dried mealworms. A total of 354 small mammal hair samples were collected using SMHT. For mesopredators, we constructed predator hair snares (PHS) using wooden stakes, coir fiber rub pads, lint roller adhesive sheets, and baited with a scent lure. These methods resulted in the collection of 24 samples from three target mesopredator species (Didelphis virginiana, Procyon lotor, and Vulpes vulpes). Each PHS was paired with a motion-sensor trail camera to validate the visitation and interaction of species with the snares. These cameras also enabled us to observe positive interactions between members of the public and the QR codes included on our collection equipment. This indicates that our techniques not only provide a viable method for collecting hair samples in urban environments but can also connect community members with the science being conducted in their local parks and backyards.
