This book, as its title implies, is intended as an introduction to the art and scienceof tracking. You’ll eventually want other field guides in addition to this one: booksabout mammal (or bird or reptile) identification, with range maps and life historyinformation. An advanced tracking book will be useful as well, such as Olaus J.Murie’s Animal Tracks—a remarkable compendium of information about the naturalhistory and tracking of North American mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects. Plantbooks are useful for identifying plants used by animals you are tracking. Look also fornature guides to your region.Use this book as a tool to get started enjoying the art of tracking. Develop yourthree skills—observation, patience, and awareness—and build your library of noteson the tracks in your ecosystem. We provide a starting point for learning about theanimals, but you’ll no doubt want to delve further with other sources of naturalhistory information. Finally, we provide information on how to use animal trackingin conservation projects, so that future generations will have as much fun as we doin discovering the world of animal tracking.