Animal Tracks and Signs: Track Over 400 Animals From Big Cats to Backyard Birds

When the wilderness calls—or even just the back yard—young nature lovers need a helpful guide to set them on the right track.

Now kids can learn about their favorite animals—from cheetahs to snakes—in a whole new way: from the signs they leave behind. What does a row of tracks signify? What can we tell from an accumulation of twigs left behind in the crook of a tree? What are those squiggly marks in the sand? Animal Tracks and Signs gives young readers the knowledge and expertise to interpret these mysteries.

This beautifully illustrated volume is a species-by-species guide to the clues left behind by over 400 animals on planet Earth. The inviting text helps readers identify what to look for when tracking animals (or imagining tracking them) in the wild or in the back yard: tracks and footprints; feeding signs; droppings and pellets; animal dens, nests, and hiding places; and other specific signs of animal behavior. The author also shares expert advice on how to observe animals in the wild anywhere in the world. Life-size illustrations of footprints (and droppings!) bring the wild alive on the page. Stunning wildlife photography and clear diagrams make this a visually powerful book sure to capture the imagination of every young reader.

Jinny Johnson has written numerous books on natural history for children on topics ranging from dinosaurs and insects to rain forests and deserts. She has a lifelong passion for wildlife and is a fellow of the Zoological Society of London.

John A. Burton founded the World Land Trust to protect and save endangered habitats for wildlife. He is a member of the American Society of Mammalogists, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and Vice President of the Bat Conservation Trust. He has written many books on natural history, specializing in field guides.