Tracks and Signs of Indian Wildlife

A field guide to the Tracks and Signs of Indian wildlife is an innovative approach to wildlife identification. Conventionally, in India, hunting-gathering tribes, hunters, farmers and trained wildlife staffs knew the art of identifying animals and interpreting their behaviour. Their livelihood and survival depended on such skill. Today, such skills are no longer valued, and the ability to interpret wildlife tracks and signs is fast disappearing. Also, most people do not interact with forests like they used to, they do not depend on wildlife like they used to. This field guide is an attempt to resurrect interest in the art of identifying wildlife tracks and signs accurately and interpreting animal behaviour. The field guide allows the reader to first look at the track or sign and then using keys and illustrations, to determine the animal groups or species responsible. The keys refer to detailed descriptions, pictures and drawings. There are chapters on animal tracks, droppings and bird pellets, feeding signs, nests and animal shelters, other signs (such as mud wallows, tree scratching and waterholes) and a detailed glossary of terms. Dr Shekhar Kolipaka works as wildlife and nature management consultant in India. He also conducts field research on human-carnivore interactions by combining aspects of cultural anthropology and animal behaviour. He believes that his work will contribute to effectively addressing carnivore conservation issues in human-dominated landscapes. Read more