A Field guide to the Tracks and Signs of Southern and East African Wildlife

Chris & Tilde Stuart
Struik, Cape Town, (first published 1994, 2nd edition 1998)
Softcover, R125,00
ISBN 1 86812 764 8, 140mm x 213mm, 310 pages

To be completely honest, I initially viewed this publication with a jaundiced eye. The reason for this was twofold: Firstly because the aim of the authors is not to teach readers how to track and secondly because the accuracy of the drawings of individual animal tracks are not nearly on the scale of Liebenberg (see reviews in this edition of WildWatch). There is much to recommend this book though, and both the serious student of animal signs and the casual observer of nature can benefit greatly from this effort of the well known Chris and Tilde Stuart.

Distinguishing photographs:

Some of the features which differentiate this book from other popular guides to animal tracks are that it covers both East and Southern Africa; that it employs a key to similar looking animal tracks and groups these tracks accordingly (rather than grouping the families in taxonomic order); and most importantly, its judicious use of photographs. Photographs (mostly in monochrome which emphasises contrast) are really the distinguishing feature of the book and not only are these used to illustrate the tracks of animals (there are excellent photos of Cheetah, Leopard, Scrub Hare, and Black and White Rhino), but they are also used, where possible and appropriate, to illustrate the actual foot of the animal.

Detail:

This is fantastic for the hair-covered foot of something like a Scrub Hare or Cape fox and really helps to clarify the track-making process in these animals. Photographs in the section on animal tracks also help to clarify the effects on the tracks of different soil substrates, the ageing process and concepts like judging the freshness of tracks through the superimposed or underlying tracks of other animals. The photographic theme continues through the section on bird, reptile and animal droppings (process and result beautifully illustrated for the Ostrich, and the waste of something like a chameleon), the feeding signs section (comparison between different browsers, different carnivores, rodent gnawing, Aardvark digging, the result of a Honey Badger's binge on dung beetle larvae etc.), nests and shelters (Thick-tailed Bushbaby, Karoo Bush Rat, cocktail ants and others), other signs (wallows, rubbing posts, scent marks), and, lastly, skulls (useful for identification of prey remains).

Admirable success:

The variety of these sections is another distinguishing feature of this book and all are very helpful for the identification and interpretation of signs other than footprints. This brings us to the actual aim of the authors; which is to help those who spend their lives in the bush (hunters, farmers, conservationists), as well as those who are only occasional visitors (hikers, tourists, holiday makers) interpret and understand their environments better. In this, and the transfer of their considerable experience, they succeed admirably.

Posted: Birds by CC Africa, Date: 22 November 2006