Mammal Bones: Applications for Wildlife Observation and Tracking
Foundations Course: The Skeletal Anatomy of Mammals
A new online class coming fall 2025!
Understanding the basics of mammal skeletal anatomy can provide a great deal of insight into animal behavior and lifestyle as well as the tracks and signs they leave behind. This class introduces participants to the bones of the mammalian skeleton, focusing on general patterns and structures. We will explore the unique features of various bones, helping to deepen field skills in bone identification. This course lays the foundation for being able to name a bone, know where it is found in the body and what its function is.
This class is ideal for anyone interested in learning about animal behaviour, biology, wildlife tracking and the natural history of mammals.
Interested? Sign up below to be notified when registration for the class opens!
What’s In The Class
Four Online go at your own pace Lectures. 60-90 minutes LONG covering skeletal anatomy of mammals including skulls, spines, Limbs, hands/feet and gaits
Limbs
Hands + Feet
Skulls
Spines
Gaits
Cost
Sliding Scale of $99-199
The Instructors
Dr. Nyn Tomkins
Nyn is a naturalist, anatomy enthusiast, chiropractor, bodyworker and wildlife tracker. She’s a graduate of Wilderness Awareness School’s nine-month Immersion program and Tracking Intensive program. She is deeply interested in the story our bodies, in particular our bones, can tell about how we live and relate to the world. She is passionate about teaching anatomy and physiology as a way to help other people relate to and connect with our other than human kin.
David Moskowitz
David is a certified Senior Tracker and a Track and Sign and Trailing Evaluator here in North America. He works in the fields of photography, wildlife biology and education. He is the photographer and author of three books: Caribou Rainforest, Wildlife of the Pacific Northwest and Wolves in the Land of Salmon, co-author and photographer of Peterson’s Field Guide to North American Bird Nests and photographer of Big River: Resilience and Renewal in the Columbia Basin.
Advanced Course: The Comparative Anatomy and Functional Morphology of Mammals
launching winter 2025-2026!
Bones tell stories. We will use comparative anatomy (the study of similarities/differences in the anatomy of various species) and functional morphology (the study of the relationship between an animal’s form, in this case the shape of their bones, and their function) to discover what the structure of a bone can tell us about how the animal lived and what was important to them. Emphasis will be placed on practical applications to naturalist skill sets such as nature observation and wildlife tracking and trailing. This class is ideal for anyone interested in learning about animal behaviour, biology, wildlife tracking and the natural history of mammals.
Prerequisite; The Skeletal Anatomy of Mammals.
Interested? Sign up below to be notified when registration for the class opens!