On Saturday morning, February 25, the Audubon Center and Sanctuary is offering “Winter Tracks and Signs,” a class on tracking animals. These coyote tracks in the snow were photographed by the class instructor, naturalist Katie Finch. (Submitted photo)

JAMESTOWN, NY – Have you ever seen an animal track or scat – perhaps in your own backyard – and wondered what it belonged to: a deer or a coyote, a raccoon or an opossum, perhaps a dog… or a bear?

On Saturday morning, February 25, the Audubon Center and Sanctuary is providing the opportunity to learn to do some identifying on your own.

From 10:00 a.m. to noon, this program will cover some tracks of common animals in the region. The discussion will go beyond the track shape and include the use of track size, pattern and habitat to identify a creature.

Additionally, animal signs such as scat, food remains, claw marks and dens can be used to determine what passed through the area. There will be some indoor instruction, but the majority of the class will be outside to discover what animals are out and about at Audubon in the winter.

Tracking not only teaches what animals make certain footprints and where they bed down at night, it can also make you a more keen observer of the environment.

The focus and attention to detail developed in tracking can lead to a deeper connection to nature.

Tracking can serve a clear, practical purpose. For example, hunters track game, wildlife biologists may use animal signs to determine the presence of a certain species, and search and rescue teams can use tracks and signs as evidence in a case.

For the casual outdoors person, knowing animal tracks and signs can help us better understand what it going on in the natural world.

Participants are asked to dress for the weather and possible off-trail hiking.

Instructor Katie Finch is an Audubon naturalist and can often be seen, her head to the ground, looking at animal tracks. She is also amazed at what you can learn from scat.

Cost is $10 for members, $12 for non-members, $5 for children 12 and under.

Reservations are required by Thursday, February 23, by calling (716) 569-2345, emailing info@jamestownaudubon.org, or using the on-line form. After that, call to check on available space.

The Audubon Center and Sanctuary is at 1600 Riverside Road, off Route 62 between Jamestown and Warren.

For more information on this and all Audubon Center and Sanctuary programs, call (716) 569-2345 or visit jamestownaudubon.org.