Our student:instructor ratio is about 1:1.5. You review our instructors' bios here and their tracker credentials at the "Find A Tracker" tab here.

The mini-course sequence is designed for beginning and intermediate trackers. Applicants involved in some aspect of wildlife conservation are given precedence in admission.

Not necessarily. In-person classes offered by top-notch tracking schools provide a much more well-rounded experience. Our classs are primarily intended for persons who have yet to have the opportunity to attend such classes. We suggest interested persons look at the list of tracking schools at NatureTracking.

No. Most of our questions are based on photographs of partial and obscure tracks and require short essay answers. The weekly workload is about what you would expect for a 3-unit college class (6-9 hours of work per week). Students are expected to answer about ten exercise questions per week. The instructor for that question will pose followup questions until the student's responses meet the instructor's satisfaction. Well-prepared students typically receive, at most, one follow-up question. Poorly prepared students experience several cycles of responses and follow-up questions that take more than a week to resolve.

No. We focus on species found in San Diego County because we have thousands of photographic examples of tracks and signs from that area. The approach we use to track & sign identification applies to species from any region. Our students have come from as far away as Mexico, Canada, and Europe.

Class size is determined by the number of available instructors. The student-to-instructor ratio is typically about 1.5:1.

Six or seven weeks.

We give precedence to applicants currently contributing to wildlife conservation or who intend to apply track & sign identification to some aspect of wildlife conservation. This can be as simple as being a member of iNaturalist, volunteering at an animal shelter, or helping with beach cleanups. A wide range of activities qualify. We have found that people involved in wildlife conservation make the most serious and dedicated students.

Yes. However, you must receive a passing score on the entrance exam for classes 2,3,4, and 7 if you have not taken the previous class. The cost of the entrance exam is $20 and it can be applied to the tuition for the class.

These classes emphasizes detailed observation and objective comparison of the track features of multiple species to come to a conclusion in track & sign identification. It is highly analytical.

The quality of T&S identification skills cannot be predicted. Students who complete the course sequence will have acquired skill in using multi-factor analysis in track & sign identification. However, students must supplement their learning with time in the field. Students with the strongest interest and who consistently take the initiative to track in the field become the best trackers. This is true whether or not they take our classes. Our class accelerates a particular learning phase for such individuals. At the time of this writing, all alumni of the course sequence participated in Cybertracker evaluations have received Cybertracker Track & Sign Certificates.

Students who complete the T&S 1-7 mini-course sequence and receive a passing score on the comprehensive T&S 7 test receive a completion certificate. Students who recieve a completion certificate are granted observer accounts which entitle them to view future class operation and course materials for the duration of SWOTT . Southwest Wildlife Online Tracking Training hosts Cybertracker evaluations on a regular basis. At the time of this writing, all alumni who have participated in Cybertracker evaluations have received a Track & Sign certificate from Cybertracker.

The tuition cost of each of the seven mini-classes is $40 as of September 16, 2024. Tuition is used to cover operating costs, to subsidize class tuition for disadvantaged students, and to subsidize Cybertracker evaluations and tracking workshops for our graduates. Instructors donate their time and expertise and receive no financial compensation.

Southwest Wildlife Online Tracking Training will cover the cost of tuition for any deserving student for whom the cost would be burdensome.

Instructors receive no monetary remuneration. We currently have a faculty of eleven instructors. Each instructor has volunteered to donate an average of one hour per week of their time. In that hour, an instructor handles an average of 1.4 questions for an average of 7.5 students. We are able to attract such highly skilled instructors because of their commitment to wildlife conservation and by limiting the amount of time they donate to one hour per week. Our operational costs are roughly $25 per month. The amount in excess of the amount obtained in tuition is applied to subsidize participation in Cybertracker evaluations for recent graduates and tuition for financially disadvantaged students.

The min-class schedule has been developed to enable ambitious trackers to complete the seven mini-course sequence within one year while enabling others to proceed with long breaks between mini-courses.

• T&S 1 - January 19 - March 2: Multi-factor Analysis, Track Measurement, and Track Pattern Analysis FULL
• T&S 1 - March 9 - April 20: Multi-factor Analysis, Track Measurement, and Track Pattern Analysis FULL
• T&S 5 - March 9 - April 20: Mammal Skulls
• T&S 2 - April 27 - June 15: Track & Sign of Canidae, Felidae, Leporidae, Procyonidae, and Didelphidae*
• T&S 6 - June 22 - August 3: Track & Sign of Birds, Reptiles/Amphibians, and Invertebrates
• T&S 3 - August 10 - September 28: Track & Sign of Mephitidae, Mustelidae, Soricidae, Talpidae, Ursidae, Equidae, and ungulates*
• T&S 4 - October 5 - November 16: Track & Sign of Rodentia*
• T&S 7 - November 23 - December 21 (2-week break) January 4 - January 18, 2026: Comprehensive Review*

Additional offerings of these mini-classes will be made subject to demand by at least five applicants.

Inquire by email at

Apply by email to

Please include the following information:

• Your name
• Email address
• A description of your experience and/or intentions related to tracking and wildlife conservation.

There is a tuition refund deadline for each class. It is typically four to six week before the class begins. It is difficult to fill vacant slots after the deadline. The tuition refund deadline is disseminated to accepted applicants.