Title: Stuarts' Field Guide to the Tracks & Signs of Southern, Central and East African Wildlife
Author: Chris and Tilde Stuart
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
Imprint: Struik Nature
5th edition. Cape Town, South Africa 2019
ISBN 9781775846925 / ISBN 978-1-77-584692-5
Softcover, 14 x 21 cm, 488 pages, throughout colour photos and images
Stuarts' Field Guide to the Tracks & Signs of Southern, Central and East African Wildlife provides detailed coverage of tracks, droppings, bird pellets, nests and shelters, and feeding signs, not only for mammals, but also for birds, reptiles, insects and other invertebrates. The guide has been comprehensively revised and greatly expanded, making it the standard reference to tracking. Now, with additional updates, this edition features full-colour images throughout, multiple examples of tracks, droppings, pellets and other signs, images of animal species to supplement the tracks and signs, detailed descriptions, track sketches and measurements to help with identification, and advice on where to look for tracks and signs and how to interpret them. Stuarts' Field Guide to the Tracks & Signs of Southern, Central and East African Wildlife retains the unique approach to identification that made the earlier editions so popular, allowing readers to navigate quickly, by means of keys, to the animal or group of species responsible for the track or sign in question. The inclusion of a quick reference guide on the inside front and back covers helps readers access information even faster.
INTRODUCTION
Where to look for tracks and signs
Guidelines for interpreting tracks and signs
Measuring, collecting and preserving tracks and other signs
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
Identifying tracks
Identifying droppings and dung
Identifying feeding and other signs
Identifying nests and shelters
TRACKS
General key to tracks
Paws without claws
Paws with claws
Paws with claws: large
Paws with claws: medium to large
Paws with claws: medium
Paws with claws: medium to small
Paws with claws: small
Hands and feet
Cluster of paws
Cloven hooves
Cloven hooves: large
Cloven hooves: medium
Cloven hooves: small
on-cloven hooves
heavyweights
three-toed track
bird tracks
Webbed: three forward-pointing toes
Webbed: four obvious toes
No webbing: three toes forward; no back toe
No webbing: three toes forward; back toe angled
No webbing: three toes forward; back toe straight
No webbing: three toes forward; back toe off-centre
No webbing: two toes forward; two toes back
No webbing: two toes forward; none back
Double (tramline) trails
Double trails: no central drag mark
Double trails: with central drag mark
Undulating: no foot marks
Unusual trails
Marine trails
DROPPINGS, BIRD PELLETS AND URINE MARKS
Droppings
General key to droppings
Tiny cylindrical pellets: singly or in small accumulations
Spherical or cylindrical pellets: usually pointed at one end - in small heaps or large accumulations
Lozenge-shaped pellets: in small scattered piles or large accumulations
Grooved or ungrooved flattened pellets
Sausage-shaped droppings: one end pointed
Sausage-shaped droppings: tapered at one end and usually segmented
Sausage-shaped droppings: usually dry and firm, with partial white coating
Sausage-shaped droppings: both ends pointed, with uric acid cap
Large barrel-shaped droppings
Thick pancake-like droppings
Liquid splashes
Kidney-shaped droppings
Mixed shapes
Bird pellets
Urine marks
FEEDING SIGNS
Prey remains and other feeding
Signs: mammals
Lion feeding signs
Leopard feeding signs
Cheetah feeding signs
Hyaena feeding signs
Caracal feeding signs
Jackal feeding signs
Dog feeding signs
Bushpig feeding signs
Baboon feeding signs
Other mammal feeding signs
Prey remains and other feeding
Signs: raptors
Prey remains: other birds, reptiles and marine creatures
Feeding holes in the ground
Feeding holes: mammals
Feeding holes: birds
Feeding holes: invertebrates
Tree damage
Bark damage
Browsers and browse-lines
Fruits and seeds
other plant parts
Insect feeding signs
Signs in shallow water
OTHER SIGNS
Mud wallowing
Tree scratching
Rolling
Scent marking
Holes
Hair
Shed skin
Debris
NESTS AND SHELTERS
Bird nests
Ground nests: little or no material
Ground nests: fair amount of material
Nests on cliffs: little or no material
Nests on cliffs: substantial, with material
Holes in earth banks
Tree holes: natural
Tree holes: self-excavated
Nests on water
Stick nests in trees or bushes: large
Stick nests in trees or bushes: medium, untidy
Stick nests in trees or bushes: small, tidy, cup-shaped
Small woven balls
Mud-pellet nests
Other shapes
mammal shelters
Mammal shelters in trees and bushes
Mammal shelters on the ground
Underground mammal shelters
Coastal shelters
Invertebrate shelters
Termites
Ants
Wasps
Bees
Antlions
Spiders
Scorpions
Praying mantises
Other invertebrate shelters
other shelters
Glossary
Acknowledgements
Further reading
Index