Tracking San Diego's Wildlife

Photo credit: Unknown 

Do you enjoy puzzles?  The outdoors?  Learning about wildlife?  

Then a tracking class may be right up your alley.  Although I am a San Diego native, it had been almost a decade since I last submersed myself in the arid habitat and really did not know how to begin my journey back into this type of environment.  As many of you would concur, finding wildlife in Tennessee (especially when you live on a safari park) is a bit easier than when in the smoldering desert of San Diego County.

 So I decided to search the local parks services for some guidance.

Photo Credit: Coyote Wild Magazine

After doing some research, I found that my initial thought was not the case at all. Timing and clues are everything when searching for wildlife.  Many of Southern Califonia's animals are crepuscular (active at dusk and dawn) or nocturnal (active at night) to avoid the high temperatures during the day; ergo, searching in the early morning, or evening, would be a better time to try to see some furry natives.  

These hours are not always possible for the busy person, so how can one experience wildlife midday?  If one is willing to take a different approach, then the experience can be even more exciting than catching a glimpse of the animal with your own eyes. 

 

Casts of native animal tracks
Photo credit: Mallory Lindsay

Cast demonstrations on garden soil to show different characteristics.
Photo credit: Mallory Lindsay

Comparing feline and canid prints during classroom portion
Photo credit: Mallory Lindsay

Last Saturday I decided to enroll in San Diego's Tracking Team's free tracking seminar. It was very easy to sign up for and did I mention it was FREE!!  There were people from all walks of life: children, park rangers, teachers, hikers, first daters, and even those that just wanted to learn more about their wildlife neighbors. The class lasted 7 hours, which included a classroom portion to teach the basic fundamentals of wildlife tracking and a field portion that put our newly formed knowledge to the test. No experience are supplies were needed (although I would recommend a notebook to write tips in).

San Diego Tracking team instructor taking class to a nearby wildlife corridor where numerous tracks can be found.
Photo Credit: Mallory Lindsay

Instructor places flags besides tracks for students to yes their  newly attained knowledge.
Photo Credit: Mallory Lindsay

Instructor collaborates with students to identify non fully formed prints and find other clues to lead to animal identification.
Photo Credit: Mallory Lindsay

After the seminar was over, the instructors welcomely invited the participants to sign up for wildlife surveys that would be conducted throughout the remainder of the year.  The surveys aided in ongoing research of population demographics and wildlife corridor (passageways under highways and such that connect habitats) traffic.  

Passageways under freeways make ideal wildlife corridors to allow wildlife to investigate
new territories without the threat of road fatalities.
A great place to practice tracking skills.
Photo Credit: Mallory Lindsay

Bobcat tracks
Photo Credit: Mallory Lindsay

Since my class, my thirst to learn more about tracking and wildlife behavior seems to be unquenchable.  My morning hikes/walks are greeted with a new puzzles and stories each day.  Where was this coyote heading?  Why is did this raccoon sitting by the river's edge only eat a portion of his crawfish?  Did something scare him?  I wonder if this bobcat that was trailing a rabbit eventually caught him?  

So many intriguing questions.

The prints of a raccoon are typically a "2 for 1."
A back foot typically overlays the front print when walking.  
Photo Credit: Mallory Lindsay

In today's busy world it is hard to stay connected with nature.  Make time.  Get the family involved and make it a new tradition.  

Contact your local park services and see what they offer. If they do not offer any classes, ask how many people would be needed to get a guide to show you around and teach you a bit about the park and its inhabitants.  Maybe you will be the spark that makes a difference to help jumpstart a program? 

Until next time, this is Ms. Mallory inviting you to. . .

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