Applied Mammal Bone Anatomy for Wildlife Trackers and Naturalists — Feb 21 & 22, 2026
Saturday, February 21 and 22, 2026
9:00am - 3:00pm
Location:
Nordland, WA
Instructor:
Nyn Tomkins
Expand your wildlife tracking and observation skills by spending the weekend diving into the study of mammal bones! This class will offer both an introduction to the anatomy of mammal bones while bringing in advanced concepts of how the structure of bones informs its function. The focus will be on parts of the skeleton that are most applicable to field skills in wildlife tracking and observation. The class will be geared towards folks who are completely new to bone anatomy as well as advanced students.
So much of how we relate to the world is expressed in our bones. The focus will be on general patterns and structures that provide insight into an animal’s behavior and lifestyle. We will cover foot morphology and how that applies to wildlife tracking as well as what makes each of the bones of the limb unique, helping to deepen field skills in bone identification. We will learn how to look at skulls and gain insights into an animal’s life based on the shape of the skull.
The class will be a mix of lecture presentations, facilitated exercises with bones and hands on time with a diverse array of specimens.
What to Bring:
notebook and pen
lunch, water
Tuition:
$285
Ages:
18+
Saturday, February 21 and 22, 2026
9:00am - 3:00pm
Location:
Nordland, WA
Instructor:
Nyn Tomkins
Expand your wildlife tracking and observation skills by spending the weekend diving into the study of mammal bones! This class will offer both an introduction to the anatomy of mammal bones while bringing in advanced concepts of how the structure of bones informs its function. The focus will be on parts of the skeleton that are most applicable to field skills in wildlife tracking and observation. The class will be geared towards folks who are completely new to bone anatomy as well as advanced students.
So much of how we relate to the world is expressed in our bones. The focus will be on general patterns and structures that provide insight into an animal’s behavior and lifestyle. We will cover foot morphology and how that applies to wildlife tracking as well as what makes each of the bones of the limb unique, helping to deepen field skills in bone identification. We will learn how to look at skulls and gain insights into an animal’s life based on the shape of the skull.
The class will be a mix of lecture presentations, facilitated exercises with bones and hands on time with a diverse array of specimens.
What to Bring:
notebook and pen
lunch, water
Tuition:
$285
Ages:
18+
Saturday, February 21 and 22, 2026
9:00am - 3:00pm
Location:
Nordland, WA
Instructor:
Nyn Tomkins
Expand your wildlife tracking and observation skills by spending the weekend diving into the study of mammal bones! This class will offer both an introduction to the anatomy of mammal bones while bringing in advanced concepts of how the structure of bones informs its function. The focus will be on parts of the skeleton that are most applicable to field skills in wildlife tracking and observation. The class will be geared towards folks who are completely new to bone anatomy as well as advanced students.
So much of how we relate to the world is expressed in our bones. The focus will be on general patterns and structures that provide insight into an animal’s behavior and lifestyle. We will cover foot morphology and how that applies to wildlife tracking as well as what makes each of the bones of the limb unique, helping to deepen field skills in bone identification. We will learn how to look at skulls and gain insights into an animal’s life based on the shape of the skull.
The class will be a mix of lecture presentations, facilitated exercises with bones and hands on time with a diverse array of specimens.
What to Bring:
notebook and pen
lunch, water
Tuition:
$285
Ages:
18+
Dr Nyn Tomkins is a naturalist, anatomy enthusiast, chiropractor, bodyworker and wildlife tracker. She’s a graduate of Wilderness Awareness School’s nine-month Immersion program and is now a guest instructor. 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.