The River Valley Naturalists-in-Training met at Mount Magazine State Park last Saturday, February 20 for their weekly class. Don Simons, park interpreter, taught this session entitled "Wild Scene Investigation." The class focused upon deciphering animal tracks and scats. Mr. Simons explained how tracks can reveal many characteristics of an animal including its gender, weight, stride, and direction of travel. Likewise, the diet and health of an animal can be determined from its scat.

After the classroom instruction portion of the day, Mr. Simons led the Naturalists-in-Training on two short hikes through the park in order to point out evidence of bears, coyotes, and other animals. Mr. Simons was an excellent teacher, and Mount Magazine State Park is a wonderful place. The River Valley chapter will return to the park in April for a training session on butterflies and moths.