This technique was developed by WildTrack, as a translation of indigenous tracking expertise. From digital images of footprints, Footprint Identification Technique (FIT) can identify species, individuals, age-class and sex. Many monitoring tools, such as capturing animals and fitting them with GPS or VHF radio collars, are expensive, invasive, and only provide information on a limited percentage of animals.

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As part of a collaboration between NGOs working in cheetah conservation, Naankuse started working with WildTrack in 2008 to develop FIT software for cheetahs, to be able to monitor this species using footprints alone.

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Future tactics include monitoring the footprints of other large carnivores such as leopard and lion.