In the movie Raising Arizona , viewers are introduced to the gruff, Harley-riding bad guy known as Leonard Smalls. He's a manhunter with enormous nostrils, hired to sniff out and capture a missing baby. Smalls personally oversaw design of the fingerprinting exhibit and the DNA exhibit so that budding manhunters could hone their skills while solving the various crimes and shenanigans reported in the exhibits. He also contributed background information on the animal tracking exhibit, where young trackers can help figure out what kind of critter has been stealing eggs from farmer Manuel Abor's chicken coop. The animal tracking exhibit presents an opportunity for the public to learn a skill which can then be easily applied to everyday life.
Muddy areas are good places to start, such as along ditches, creeks, or ponds.
A favorite place of mine to look for animal tracks is along Putah Creek at the Restoria restoration site, just west of I-80. The animal tracking exhibit allows you to study the tracks, scat and natural history of eight wild mammals in order to determine which animal had been visiting Farmer Abor's coop. Once that mystery is solved, trackers can then thumb through the various tracking books at the exhibit to learn more about the life and habits of the furry culprit, or to look up other animals they may have seen around their own homes. Explorit Science Center is located at 3141 5th Street in East Davis.