Observer Reliability

Dr. Mark Elbroch delivered a talk at the 2021 North American Wildlife Tracker Conference titled "Tracker, Biologist, Scientist: Which are You and Which Do You Want to Be?" In this presentation, he discussed a research study on mountain lion kill sites, specifically focusing on the question "Who's Eating the Meat? Coyotes or Red Foxes?" The study was conducted from 2001 to 2016.

Researchers determined the presence of coyotes and red foxes primarily by analyzing tracks found at the kill sites. From 2001 to 2011, red foxes were rarely observed at these locations, while coyotes accounted for approximately 40-50% of the wildlife present at the kill sites. However, there was a notable shift in observations beginning in 2012. During the period from 2012 to 2016, coyotes made up about 13% of the wildlife at kill sites, while red foxes increased to around 22%.

Dr. Elbroch sought to understand the change in the relative presence of coyotes and red foxes at kill sites. To do this, he tested several hypotheses regarding the presence of red foxes.

First, he explored the carnivore cascade hypothesis, which suggests that the presence of wolves reduces the number of coyotes in an area, leading to an increase in red foxes. Dr. Elbroch's analysis indicated that the carnivore cascade hypothesis could explain approximately 30% of the change in the presence of red foxes at mountain lion kill sites.

Next, he examined the predator-prey hypothesis, which posits that the number of predators is positively correlated with the availability of their prey. His findings showed that this hypothesis could account for only 2% of the change in red fox presence at the kill sites.

Finally, Dr. Elbroch considered the observer error hypothesis. He analyzed the relationship between the number of researchers certified in track and sign identification and the presence of red foxes at mountain lion kill sites. His results revealed that the observer error hypothesis could explain 70% of the change in red fox presence.

Southwest Wildlife Online Tracking Training

Southwest Wildlife Online Tracking Training is a distance-learning resource designed for wildlife track and sign identification. Its mission is to educate beginning and intermediate students in track and sign identification, helping them achieve Cybertracker certification within one year of completing the course sequence. Preference in admission is given to applicants with involvement in wildlife conservation. This involvement can include, but is not limited to, biological research, wildlife monitoring, public outreach and education, habitat restoration or cleanup, contributing observations or identifications to iNaturalist, or assisting with the administration of a conservation organization.

Participation in wildlife conservation can be as a professional or a volunteer. The ideal student is someone eager to apply track and sign identification in some aspect of wildlife conservation and who has limited access to other tracking education resources. The seven blocks of the course focus on species found in San Diego County, as the principal author of the course materials has thousands of animal track and sign photos from that region. The course teaches a specific analytical approach to track and sign identification that has proven successful in Cybertracker evaluations. This approach can also be applied to species from other regions.

The Desert Track & Sign Identification Course Sequence

The course sequence consists of seven blocks and requires approximately 10 months of study. Study materials are available for download from the online classroom. Each block includes a set of exercises and a set of tests. Most questions in the exercises and tests involve identifying tracks and signs based on photographs.

Students post their answers to the exercise questions as comments on the corresponding posts. Solutions to the exercises are determined through discussions with an assigned instructor. A Completion Certificate is awarded to students who complete all exercise questions and achieve a passing score on the test in the Comprehensive Review block.

Blocks

1. Multi-factor Analysis, Track Measurement, and Track Pattern Analysis.
   Example Question
2. Canidae, Felidae, Leporidae, Procyonidae, and Didelphida.
   Example Question
3. Mephitidae, Mustelidae, Soricidae, Talpidae, Ursidae, Equidae, and ungulates.
   Example Question
4. Rodentia.
   Example Question
5. Mammal Skulls.
   Example Question
6. Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, and Invertebrates.
   Example Question
7. Comprehensive Review.

Cost: $400

The course schedule for 2027 is here .