The European Animal Tracks Handbook

About this book

Containing more than 1,600 photos and drawings, this magnificent handbook is the definitive guide to the tracks and signs of European animals.

Wildlife tracking takes us deep into the mystery of nature, step by step. Many people may have some idea of what the tracks of a deer or the prints of a rabbit look like, but few of us realise how much more there is to discover.

The European Animal Tracks Handbook is a comprehensive guide to the art of tracking, offering practical insight into the vast wealth of information that you can read from animal tracks and signs. Detailed descriptions and measurements of footprints and gaits are provided to aid identification, and include life-size or precisely scaled comparison charts of mammalian and bird footprints. In-depth species portraits present the biology, tracks and typical signs of Europe's mammals. The book also covers the footprints and grazing marks, nests, burrows and other signs of common birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates.

Now the standard work in the field, this handbook is an invaluable reference for all beginner and expert wild-animal trackers in the region.

Originally published in 2021 in German by Verlag Eugen Ulmer as Tierspuren Europas: Spuren und Zeichen bestimmen und interpretieren.

Contents

Preface
Foreword
Acknowledgements

Introduction
How to use this book
Learning tracking

MAMMALS
Occurrence, biology and ecology
Foot morphology and tracks
Gaits and tracks
Guide to identifying mammal tracks
Identifying and interpreting signs
Insectivores
Bats
Lagomorphs
Rodents
Carnivores
Even-toed ungulates

BIRDS
Foot morphology
Gaits and tracks
Guide to identifying bird tracks
Anisodactyl
Tridactyl
Palmate
Totipalmate
Zygodactyl
Signs of birds

AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES
Tracks
Signs

INSECTS AND OTHER INVERTEBRATES
Tracks
Signs

APPENDICES
Literature (selection)
Glossary
Templates for documenting tracks and mapping
Index
Track formula for mammals

Customer Reviews

Biography

Joscha Grolms is an internationally recognised tracker and an expert on the tracks and signs of animals in Europe. He has spent many years observing, measuring, photographing and researching, with his research taking him to North America, Britain, the Netherlands, Spain and Germany.

Joscha works as an evaluator to establish a worldwide standard for tracking, as well as leading tracking tours and teaching students the art of tracking.