Conference Presentations

 

Here is a list of confirmed presentations for the 2023 North American Wildlife Tracker Conference, listed in alphabetical order by presenter surname.

Click here for presenter bios.

Click here for the conference schedule.

Register for the conference at this link.

 

Presentation Descriptions

Aaron Bott (Yellowstone Wolf Project)
Tracking the Wolf: Non-invasive skills for monitoring wolves in the wild
Gray wolves (wolves; Canis lupus) have inhabited Yellowstone National Park since their reintroduction in the mid-1990s. However, unlike the wolves in the park’s northern range, the wolves in Yellowstone’s interior are rarely seen, and little is known about their home range, reproductive rates, and diet. In 2019, Aaron Bott initiated a multi-year field study tracking and monitoring wolves to improve Yellowstone’s understanding of wolves’ spatial persistence and reproduction in the park’s interior.

Kim Cabrera
Track Something Small – Introduction to Plant Galls and their Makers
Plant galls are made by small creatures, such as wasps, mites, and even bacteria. These fascinating growths are found on particular host plants. The relationship between plant and gallmaker is an interesting subject for exploration. These small creatures offer the tracker a glimpse into the complexity of the natural world.

Vanessa Castle (Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe)
Tracking as an Indigenous Woman in Wildlife
This presentation will explore how tracking applies in northwest indigenous communities past and present, how it applies to wildlife research and why it’s so important. We’ll also touch on why indigenous-led research is so important for the protection/preservation of our ecosystems.

Kareem Dieng (Rising Sun Adventure)
Tracking The Beginner’s Mind
The beginner’s mind is a beautiful thing to waste. Becoming an expert tracker might be an honorable and worthwhile goal, but when does it get in the way? In this presentation, we explore the power of getting started and the freedom of not knowing. We discuss apprehension, asking questions, and fear of appearing ignorant. Finally, we explore the wisdom of the beginner’s mind, and how even the seasoned expert can learn with it.

Abi Fergus (Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council)
Tracking toward coexistence: applications on livestock farms
I will present on how I have applied wildlife tracking in facilitating coexistence between farmers, livestock and carnivores. I will summarize my master’s research from 2019 with a focus on how tracking informed the study methodology. I will also walk through how I integrate tracking when supporting farmers to troubleshoot coexistence needs on their farm. I will touch on big picture needs around funding and creating positions to expand carnivore coexistence efforts on farms, with a focus on opportunity for the USDA to adopt a model of coexistence and collaboration with tribal and non-tribal livestock producers. I will also touch on how to do the essential relationship building with tribal and non-tribal livestock producers that underlines the work.

Dani Freund (University of Minnesota)
The ethology of wolves foraging on freshwater fish in a boreal ecosystem
Since 2017, we recorded several wolves hunting and killing fish in northern Minnesota, indicating that wolves are adept at quickly responding to fish as prey. Wolves primarily hunted white suckers (Catostomus commersonii) at night during April and May, when freshwater fish are abundant, available, and catchable in shallow waters. We observed wolves catching suckers by waiting-in-ambush on creek banks and launching an attack after detecting fish, adding to growing evidence that wolf hunting strategies are more flexible than the cursorial behaviors generally used to hunt ungulates. We documented wolves fishing from five packs at four creeks, suggesting that wolf fishing behavior is widespread across similar boreal ecosystems but has likely remained undocumented given its ephemeral nature.

Dan Gardoqui (Lead with Nature)
Woodpecker Feeding Sign Relative to Insect Infestations and Associated Tree Species Decline: Observations & Questions
Biological invasions by nonnative insects are expected to Increase 36 percent worldwide by 2050. As insects injure or kill trees, there are a variety of associated signs made by multiple woodpecker species. This presentation will focus on observations and questions about woodpecker sign associated with an increase of Hemlock Wooly Adelgid (HWA) and Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in New England.

Daniel Hansche (Spur Wander)
Tracking the Question, Tracking the Answer
This presentation is an exploration of the tracker’s approach to the question at hand and how the approach influences the answer. The approach, process, and quality of focus are ever influential, whether for better or for worse. For those who wish to hone their quality of attention and the way they relate to the world of tracking, Daniel offers insights and possibilities for more effective interactions with the questions we ask and the way in which we ask them.

Nate Harvey (A Tracker’s Trail & Tracker Certification North America)
Milestones of a Trailing Practice
Trailing an animal successfully requires proficiency at many skills, from following tracks to anticipating animals’ needs, from listening to alarms to reading landscapes, and there’s more. This presentation describes the “game changers,” I think 5 so far, in my own ability and the various practices that led me to each. We discuss techniques as well as my own inner experiences, especially those that seem to be common among trackers I’ve seen at Evaluations.

Lameace Hussain (University of Florida)
A whole new world: How tracking activities can help students better understand and engage with the world around them
The history of access and exposure to STEM programs, particularly with underrepresented communities, has been shown to alter perceptions of careers, interest in the outdoors, and general curiosity for science and STEM programs. Partnered with two local NGO groups, we are implementing a small tracking program for elementary school kids in underserved communities in the greater Gainesville area. This effort brings kids out to nature parks with tracking stations set up, similar to the CyberTracker evaluation programs.

Dr. Zoe Jewell & Dr. Sky Alibhai (WildTrack)
How can certified trackers benefit wildlife conservation? Introducing WildTrack
WildTrack is a 501(c)3 non-profit focusing on non-invasive and community-based wildlife conservation. We protect endangered species using a unique combination of our Footprint Identification Technology (FIT) with the art and science of Tracking. Trackers are the most valued members of our network of community participants and your help is vital. In this presentation we will share some of our work, and describe how you can use your tracking expertise to help directly with wildlife conservation.

Luke Lamar (Swan Valley Connections)
Tracking and Trailing Applications for the Southwest Crown Rare Carnivore Monitoring Project
The Southwest Crown Rare Carnivore Monitoring Project is a 10 year monitoring effort that utilized tracking and trailing skills to collect genetic material from focal species wolverine and Canada lynx to determine species distribution and relative abundance across the 1.5 million acre Southwestern Crown of the Continent landscape in Northwest Montana. Track location data was also collected on secondary species pine marten, mountain lion, wolf, and bobcat. As an unintended byproduct from this project, there is a robust database that details track observer reliability that can be verified with genetic results. Wildlife behavior and natural history findings were also documented as part of the project.

Kersey Lawrence, Lee Gutteridge & Saola Foundation team members
Tracking the rarest large mammal on Earth
The saola (Pseudoryx ngethinhensis) could be the rarest large animal species on earth. They are critically endangered. Discovered for science in only 1992, saola are the sole species of a genus of bovids, and the few remaining saola reside in the rugged jungles of the Annamite Mountain range between Laos and Vietnam. The Saola Foundation was created to locate some of the last saola, capture them, breed them in captivity, and release them back into the wild. The Foundation enlisted the help of CyberTracker Senior Trackers and Evaluators Kersey Lawrence, Lee Gutteridge, Matt Nelson, and Preston Taylor in finding evidence of saola and training a Laos Tracker Team. Thus far, Lee has spearheaded the search and training during November of 2022, spending 3 weeks in the Annamites training the tracking team. Join Lee and Kersey, and the Saola Foundation’s Rob Timmins and Chanthasone Phommachanh (Olay), to hear stories about the project and what the future holds.

Joseph Litke (Fiera Biological Consulting)
Learning from our backtrail: an examination of a recent effort to remove barriers and diversify tracking workshop participation in Alberta, Canada
Recognizing that experiences in nature are important avenues for increased environmental connection, and that traditionally underrepresented groups at organized wildlife tracking events include racialized groups, recent immigrants, and lower income families, we attempted to develop a tracking workshop program that minimized barriers to, and prioritized enrolment, of these underrepresented groups. I’d like to present on the details of our approach, the end result, and what we took away from this experience.

Sue Mansfield
Black Bear Sign-making Behavior
Video footage and images will illustrate black bear behavior and the visible signs bears leave behind. Experience gained from walking with bears will provide context for the behaviors. The accurate interpretation of bear sign will be emphasized.

Matt Nelson, Preston Taylor & Nate Harvey (Tracker Certification North America)
Trail Hunting
Evaluators Matt Nelson, Preston Taylor and Nate Harvey discuss hunting by following trails, how this method differs from other styles of hunting and how it informs us as students of trailing.

Rae Nickerson (Utah State University)
Applying track and sign skills to livestock-carnivore conflict, research, and management
Predator-livestock conflict remains one of the most contentious aspects of large carnivore conservation and rangelands management across the West, and conflicts can lead to threatened economic interests and human safety, fueled tensions, taxed relationships among stakeholder groups, and the lethal removal of vulnerable wildlife. To improve conditions for both wildlife and livestock producers, nonlethal tools like fladry, carcass removal, or range riders are often deployed by state and federal wildlife agencies, and many agencies provide compensation programs for livestock injury and/or loss. Yet the effective application of these tools/programs often depends on the ability of the individuals deploying tools and administering programs to know when, where, and how each will be most successful, often requiring that individuals have sufficient track and sign skills. State and federal wildlife agencies would greatly improve the accuracy and standardization of their conflict related protocols by focusing on track and sign training and proficiency, and in so doing, potentially improving relationships with stakeholder groups, and overall trust surrounding contentious carnivore management.

Jonathan Poppele (Minnesota Wildlife Tracking Project)
Overstepping the Data: Estimating Speed from Track Patterns in Coyotes and House Cats
Many trackers use the “overstep hypothesis” to estimate relative speed of symmetrical track patterns and interpret animal behavior. According to this hypothesis, “as an animal walks [or trots] faster, its hind track will move over and beyond the front track in each pair” (Elbroch, 2019). Thus, overstep walks are interpreted as being faster than direct register walks. I test this hypothesis in two common species, the coyote (Canis latrans) and the house cat (Felis domesticus), by measuring the overstep of more than 300 strides from more than 30 trails. The results show that the overstep hypothesis may apply differently to different species.

Sage Raymond (University of Alberta)
Trailing Urban Coyotes Reveals Habitat Use, Behaviour, and Scope for Human-Wildlife Conflict
Over the last 200 years, coyotes (Canis latrans) have massively expanded their range to include all major North American cities, with accompanying benefits and drawbacks for human residents. I followed 500 km of urban coyote trails in Edmonton, Canada, to identify coyote dens and scats and used these data to ask questions like, “What makes a good inner-city coyote den?”, and “Why do coyotes poop where they do?”. The answers to these questions shed light on the unique natural history of this urban carnivore, and they have important implications for human-coyote coexistence. I will also touch on the value of statistics for increasing the power of observational (tracking!) data.

Rob Rich
Being Beaver: A Wildlife Tracker’s Guide to a Keystone Species
As a keystone species who attracts countless plants and animals, the beaver is a wildlife tracker’s best friend. Once trapped to near-extinction, the beaver is now a recovering species, too. Expanding beaver populations are offering biodiverse, resilient habitats to help us adapt to our climate crises, and wildlife ecologists are finding themselves increasingly reliant on tracking skills to monitor and conserve the beavers’ important effects on ecosystems. While beaver signs can be conspicuous enough to be seen from a satellite, they are also incredibly complex when encountered in the field, and they offer nuanced insights as they age and evolve. This presentation will not only explore approaches that ecologists are using to monitor beaver tracks and sign, but it will also show why these interpretive field skills are vital tools for curiosity, connection, and conservation.

Dave Scott (Earth Native Wilderness School & Tracker Certification North America)
Insights and Strategies for Learning Wildlife Tracking
In this presentation we’ll explore the mental skills that are necessary to mastering the art of Wildlife Tracking and successful approaches that will help you increase your field skills.

Larissa Slaney (Heriot-Wyatt University & WildTrack Specialist Group)
Otterly confusing: How to distinguish between three Asian otter species by their tracks
This otter research project distinguished between three otter species of Southeast Asia by comparing morphometric data extracted from digital footprint images using WildTrack’s Footprint Identification Technology (FIT). The results show that it is possible to identify these three otter species with FIT with an average accuracy of 97%. The presenter discusses the importance of such research for otter conservation and what role the tracker community could play for in-situ wildlife conservation.

Gene Tagaban (Native Wellness Institute)
The Tracker The Storyteller The Healer
From his cultural teaching Gene will share the power of story, relationship and healing. Each track, each trail holds a story. What is the story and how do we tell it?

Alex Troutman (N8ture_AL)
A track in nature: using wildlife tracking and signs as a means to expose and reconnect marginalized individuals to nature
It has been said that minorities have no connection or history to nature, when in fact that history runs deep in our ancestry but was lost through colonization and assimilation. Through the use of wildlife tracks and signs, I have been been able to expose, engage and offer a reconnection to nature that our ancestors have always had in an introductory and subtle way.

Kirsten Welge, Eric Vehe & Bill Kass (Minnesota Wildlife Tracking Project)
Tracks, Laughter, and Mud Wrestling: Creating a Tracking Community through the Minnesota Wildlife Tracking Project
We all know it’s more fun to go tracking with a friend. But how do you start a tracking community… and, how do you keep one going? Join MWTP volunteers and certified trackers Kirsten Welge, Eric Vehe, and Bill Kass to see through the eyes of a complete beginner who joined the Minnesota Wildlife Tracking Project on its first day, as well as two tracker-naturalists who joined before the pandemic. We’ll review the origins of our tracking community, the impact of CyberTracker Evaluations, the offshoots of bird language and trailing, and how this community has influenced each of us to become better trackers and help others interpret tracks and sign to follow and find wildlife.

Jeff Wirth (Stay Wild Media)
Tracking to Camera Trap
The sole purpose of my first step into tracking was to become a better camera trapper. My goal was to become well versed in track and sign so I could better tell the stories of the individual animals I was following. Each animal and ecosystem is a new experience and adventure and I am excited to share stories and knowledge with the group.

 

Please note that the schedule and presenter list is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances that may prevent presenter participation. We are expecting a full and enriching conference weekend but cannot guarantee the conference schedule.