Have you ever stepped over an animal track in the mud, seen a pile of scat or scratches on a tree and wondered, who made it? Join WRI and professional wildlife tracker and educator Marcus Reynerson of Duvall, WA's Wilderness Awareness School, for a 2-day course, Sept. 21 & 22, from 9AM-4:30PM each day, to learn about the art and science of wildlife tracking!

Through a combination of class time and field time, you will become grounded in the context for what wildlife tracking is, and particularly in how it is relevant to a variety of people: from wildlife scientists to conservationists, or simply to people who want to be more connected to the natural world in the places they live. Wildlife tracking offers a holistic ecological window into the happenings of the living world surrounding us. By becoming aware of the wildlife that live in our backyards, the world around us takes on a completely different feel.

In this course, you will gain the skill-set to start, or to continue, exploring the vast world of wildlife tracking. In this 2-day course we will cover:
• Natural history, taxonomy, and regional wildlife
• Basic wildlife foot morphology
• Clear print identification
• Behavior and wildlife sign interpretation
• Track aging
• How wildlife interacts with varying landscapes
• The fundamentals of following animal trails
• The art of inquiry and engaging curiosity

While we will have a course structure to follow, every tracking experience is unique; we will follow the curiosity of the students participating, as well as the animal tracks and trails encountered. Whether an experienced tracker or a beginner, course participants will learn to look at the ground in a completely different way, with the tools to continue developing as connected naturalists reading stories left behind by the wildlife all around us.

COST: $150 members, $175 non-members | Course size limited to 16 participants | Dress for changing weather, pack a lunch and snacks

About Marcus:
Marcus is a naturalist, educator, facilitator, and photographer. He has worked in wilderness education, outdoor leadership, and conservation for numerous organizations and communities across North America and Europe. Marcus is engaged in telling stories that bring to light and life the complexity of humans living in the 21st century. He is the Lead Instructor for an internationally renowned environmental leadership immersion program for adults at the Wilderness Awareness School in Duvall, WA, and is also an evaluator with Cybertracker Conservation, an organization dedicated to providing leading edge assessment and certification in the art and science of wildlife tracking across the globe. Currently, Marcus is living in WA's Snoqualmie Valley, just east of Seattle.

Photo provided by Marcus Reynerson