Animal Tracks of the Southwest

Jonathan Poppele is a naturalist, author, and educator with wide-ranging interests. He earned a master’s degree in Conservation Biology from the University of Minnesota, studying citizen science, environmental education, and how to cultivate a personal relationship with the natural world through animal tracking. He has taught ecology, environmental studies, biology, and technical writing at the University of Minnesota. An avid outdoorsman and student of natural history, Jon is a member of the Minnesota Trackers Club and the International Society for Professional Trackers, and he is the founder of the Minnesota Wildlife Tracking Project. A Black Belt in the peaceful martial art of Ki-Aikido, Jon is also the founder and director of the Center for Mind-Body Oneness in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

“Jonathan Poppele has created a terrific little resource here on some of the most common animals in the region that a tracker might be interested in. There are great details about track ID, as well as some bigger picture concepts in how to learn track ID, as well as animal gait interpretation. An inspired naturalist will be grateful to have this in your backpack.”—Marcus Reynerson, Evaluator at Tracker Certification North America and Lead Instructor at Wilderness Awareness School

• Adventure Quick Guides About the Author Tiny Mammals Squirrels Large Rodents Pika, Rabbits, & Hares Nine-banded Armadillo Skunks Weasels Five-toed Walkers Dogs Cats Ungulates Tracking Tips Photographing Tracks Track Group Chart