Bob Cowley, ‘On Safari in Catz: Animal Tracks Among RAAC’

St Catherine’s College proudly presents the first talk in the Hilary Edition of ‘Catz in Conversation’ – our all-new webinar series by alumni, for everyone.

At first glance, Catz might appear an unlikely setting for a safari. On Tuesday, 27th January, Bob Cowley will challenge this idea. Even within one of Oxford’s most modern Colleges, the movements of animals are written daily into the mud, dust, grass, and snow – often unnoticed by the students and staff who pass through. This talk will explore how the everyday spaces of the College – including the paths, lawns, and the building works – provide a surprisingly rich record of animal activity.

Drawing on techniques and insights from his own rich career in wildlife tracking and field ecology, Bob Cowley will show how footprints, feeding signs, droppings, and subtle disturbances can be read to reveal the presence and behaviour of mammals, birds, and other wildlife living alongside the students and staff. Using examples from Oxford and beyond, including material developed for the UK Mammal Society and international tracking conferences, this talk will demonstrate how careful observation can transform familiar surroundings into a living field site.

No prior knowledge of biology is assumed; perfect for students, staff, and members of the public who are interested in the architecture and biodiversity of Oxford’s most modern College, this talk provides a chance to slow down, pay attention, and discover the hidden and wondrous wildlife journeys taking place every day at Catz.

Bob Cowley

Bob Cowley (1973, Mathematics) is an expert wildlife tracker and experienced field skills instructor. As well as serving as Vice Chair of the Oxfordshire Mammal Group, he is one of few Level 3 Trackers in the UK with the International Tracker Certification Scheme. As a career naturalist, his work focuses on reading animal tracks and signs in both rural and urban environments. He is an accredited Wildlife Tracking Instructor with the UK Mammal Society and regularly teaches intensive field courses on mammal and non-mammal track and sign identification, with a particular emphasis on careful observation and interpretation rather than specialist equipment.

His workshops provide a wonderfully generous and generalist approach to wildlife tracking. Bob has presented his work at multiple international conferences, including the International Tracking Symposium in the Netherlands, and he delivers regular training days in Oxford, most recently at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, where his Mammal Track & Sign Day has run successfully for several consecutive years. He has also been an invited speaker at the International Tracking Symposium every year since its inception in 2022, and is in daily contact with other elite trackers from all over the world. His teaching appeals to a diverse audience, ranging from ecology students and early-career conservationists to birdwatchers, naturalists, and members of the public seeking to deepen their engagement with the natural world.

Although his undergraduate degree was in Mathematics, Bob has always been drawn to time spent outdoors and to understanding the patterns and processes that shape animal behaviour. This analytical background continues to inform his approach to tracking, where logical inference, pattern recognition, and close attention to detail are essential skills.

When he is not teaching in the field or speaking at events, Bob enjoys encouraging others to see familiar landscapes — including college grounds, building sites, and urban green spaces — as living environments, rich with the often-overlooked stories of the animals that share them.

To secure your place at our full term of online talks, please see here. All talks in the series are scheduled for either a lunchtime (1-2pm) or an evening (6-7pm) slot. All are free to attend and open to all. Lasting 45 minutes and followed by an audience Q&A, these talks are the perfect chance to strengthen your professional network, to advance your knowledge, and to hear from past generations of Catz alumni working in future-forward fields.

All webinars are hosted on Zoom. Unless stated otherwise, they are recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel.

Date

27 January, 2026

Time

6 - 7pm

Venue

Online, via Zoom