Wildlife Tracking Class
Basics and Beyond of Animal Track & Sign Identification
Saturday, March 19, 2016
8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Oso Trailhead, Ventura River Preserve
Please wear sturdy shoes and bring water and sun protection
Join the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy (OVLC) on Saturday, March 19th for a fun and informative morning out on the Ventura River Preserve. This is a hands-on, interactive “Dirt Time” program with the Channel Islands Tracking Team. Learn the basics of animal track and sign identification, such as distinguishing between cat and dog tracks, and identifying common local animal tracks. We will likely encounter dog, coyote, ground squirrel, woodrat, toad, raccoon, striped skunk, opossum, mule deer, and bobcat tracks. With a number of instructors on hand, this program is suitable for all age and experience levels.
Tracking wildlife successfully requires more than just looking for trails and scat. It requires an awareness of how an animal behaves in its environment–how it finds food, travels, and rests. A tracker must know how to find and interpret behavioral clues animals leave behind.
The Channel Islands Tracking Team (CITT) was started in 2011 by a dedicated group of people interested in wildlife tracking. Initially a grassroots effort aimed at training local enthusiasts in collecting wildlife track and sign data in the greater Channel Islands region, CITT has grown into a recognized citizen science club. With a mission to monitor biological diversity while promoting public appreciation for our region’s unique natural areas, CITT provides a variety of opportunities for people of all ages to engage with wildlife tracking. In addition to quarterly track and sign surveys assessing wildlife presence in local natural areas, the team provides monthly informal tracking gatherings, or “Dirt Times,” classes several times a year, and biennial Cybertracker Evaluations.
We will meet at the Oso Trailhead which is at the end of Meyer Road off of Rice Road. Participants should wear sturdy shoes and bring water and sun protection. Children are welcome. Reservations are requested. For more information or to make a reservation go to www.ovlc.org or contact Marti Reid at (805) 649-6852 ext 2 or marti@ovlc.org.
This class is free to members and students and $10 for non-members. Become a member today! A family membership is just $35 per year.
