Tracks & Traces: Wildlife Footprint Detectives

Who’s been wandering through the garden? Become a wildlife detective and learn how to identify the animals that leave their footprints behind! In this hands-on program, participants will explore common Colorado wildlife tracks and discover how footprints can reveal clues about an animal’s size, movement, and behavior. Learn the basics of track identification, compare the footprints of familiar Colorado mammals, and practice using clues such as track shape, number of toes, stride, and walking pattern to determine who made the tracks. Participants will then create their own plaster cast of a wildlife footprint to take home as a keepsake. Perfect for families, young nature explorers, and anyone curious about the wildlife living around us. No previous wildlife identification experience is needed—just bring your curiosity and your detective skills! Program Highlights: Learn how to identify common Colorado wildlife footprints\ Discover what tracks can tell us about animal behavior Compare tracks from different mammals and learn their identifying features Practice identifying tracks through hands-on activities Create a plaster cast of an animal footprint to take home