I wanted to post an update on the progress of the Herp Tracking Book.
For those of you who may have not heard of this project, I am co-authoring a book on Tracks & Sign of Reptiles and Amphibians of the USA. Salamanderhunter, aka Joe Letsche had started this project, then handed the torch to me. So I am continuing the work along with one other person. We have a contract with StackPole Books and have been working on this project officially for over a year, and unofficially for several more. This book bring light to the tracks and sign left by herps, to help others use these signs to study and find herps, and … my personal goal is to help encourage a more positive understanding of and relationship with herps in general.
I think that reptiles and amphibians are often the least cared about when it comes to conservation, and I want to see that change.
Also, I am a big fan of using the skills of tracking to understand the world around me. So, naturally, this is an extension of that practice for me. Herp tracking is a very little studied and little understood arena in the tracking world. This book will hopeful begin to change that.
As for the hard facts of where we are in the project, this should give you a sense of things. Below is a list of all the herps we have track data for thus far.
The numbers are:
Turtles/Tortoises=14
Snakes = 23,
Salamanders = 9
Lizards = 33
Frogs/Toads = 19
Crocodilians = 1
A current total of 99 species!
Tracks
Crocodilians
American Alligator
Frogs and Toads
American Toad
Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
Boreal Toad
Bullfrog
Canyon Treefrog
Cope’s Gray Treefrog
Couch’s Spadefoot
Cuban Treefrog
Eastern Spadefoot
Florida Cricket Frog
Fowler’s Toad
Giant Toad
Great Plains Toad
Greenhouse Frog
Northern Red-legged Frog
Pacific Chorus Frog
Pig Frog
Red-spotted toad
Southern Toad
Lizards
Blainville’s Horned Lizard
Bleached Earless Lizard (Common Lesser Earless Lizard)
CA Legless Lizard
Coachella Valley Fringe-Toed Lizard
Common Chuckwalla
Colorado Desert Fringe-toed lizard
Desert Banded Gecko
Desert Iguana
Desert Night Lizard
Desert Spiny Lizard
Flat-tailed Horned Lizard
Gila Monster
Green Anole
Green Iguana
Greater Earless Lizard
Ground Skink
Little White Whiptail
Long-nosed Leopard Lizard
Long-Tailed Brush Lizard
Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard
Northern Keeled Earless Lizard
Prairie Lizard
Pygmy Short-horned Lizard
Sand Skink
Schott’s Tree Lizard
Side-blotched Lizard
Skilton’s Skink
Southern Alligator Lizard
Texas Horned Lizard
Tiger Whiptail
Western Fence Lizard
Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard
Zebra-Tailed Lizard
Salamanders
Arboreal Salamander
Black-spotted Newt
CA Slender Salamander
Coast Range Newt
Ensatina
Rough-skinned Newt
Tiger Salmander
Western Long-Toed Salamander
Western Red- Backed Salamander
Snakes
Banded Sand Snake
Burmese Python
California Kingsnake
Common Gartersnake
Corn Snake
Desert Striped Whipsnake
Coachwhip
Eastern Milksnake
Glossy Snake
Gopher Snake
Mexican Hognose Snake
Northwestern Gartersnake
Ring-Necked Snake
Red Diamond Rattlesnake
Rosy Boa
Scarlet Kingsnake
Scarlet Snake
Night Snake
Sharp-tailed Snake
Sidewinder
Speckled Rattlesnake
Spotted Leaf-Nosed Snake
Western Shovel-Nosed Snake
Turtles and Tortoises
Desert Tortoise
Florida Box Turtle
Florida Mud Turtle
Gopher Tortoise
Ornate Box Turtle
Striped Mud Turtle
Western Painted Turtle
Yellow Mud Turtle
Spiny Softshell Turtle
Common Musk Turtle
Red-eared Slider
Spotted Turtle
Common Map Turtle
Pacific Pond Turtle
On top of just tracks, there is also sign. That includes scat, digs, burrows, nests, trails, feeding sign, carcasses and sheds. I am still compiling and organizing data for these categories.
I have been really impressed and inspired by how much help we have received with this project. Much of it has come directly or indirectly through this website. So thank you everyone who has helped us move forward and find herps!
Joe has done a huge amount of work on the turtles and I own him a debt not easily paid for his knowledge and continuing support and contributions. His knowledge of track and sign of turtles continues to be staggering to me.

Please let me know if you are interested in contributing photos, measurements, or even suggesting scientific papers to read in support of this project. This is all being funded out of pocket, and so we don't have any money to offer you, but we would certainly credit you for anything you wish to contribute.
No location or specific regional information will be shared through this project nor in this book. Those of you have have already contributed know that any places you have shown me or shared with me have and will be kept confidential.

And... whats a post without some pictures, anyway...
So here is a few herps making tracks...
Texas Horned Lizard

Skilton's Skink

Rocky Mountain Toad

Desert Striped Whipsnake
