Animal Tracking & Animal Sign Environmental Biology.

Animal TrackingAnimal Tracking&&

Animal SignAnimal Sign

Environmental BiologyEnvironmental Biology

How do we know what animals are in our area?

–Are tracks the only clues we have?

–Are these the only sign that animals leave?

No…Animal sign might include…

A. A. Scat and PelletsScat and Pellets. .

What can this tell us?What can this tell us?

B. Trails, Runs and Escape B. Trails, Runs and Escape RoutesRoutes

B. Trails, Runs and Escape B. Trails, Runs and Escape RoutesRoutes

C. Dens, Burrows, Beds, Lays Dens, Burrows, Beds, Lays

and Nestsand Nests

What functions do burrows, nests, beds provide?

D. Gnaws, Chews, Rubs,and Gnaws, Chews, Rubs,and

marking signs.marking signs.

Also look for tooth marks, tracks, scat, or even tufts of hair

around sign such as this.

These markings tell you what animal made them… These markings tell you

what animal made them…

E. Bones, Teeth, Fur and Bones, Teeth, Fur and

FeathersFeathers E. Bones, Teeth, Fur and Bones, Teeth, Fur and

FeathersFeathers

If you really know your animals, you can tell what animal the fur is from.

E. Bones, Teeth, Fur and Bones, Teeth, Fur and

FeathersFeathers E. Bones, Teeth, Fur and Bones, Teeth, Fur and

FeathersFeathers

There’s a lot more to tracking There’s a lot more to tracking than just footprints!! than just footprints!! ……Scat and Pellets,Scat and Pellets,

……Dens, Burrows, Beds, Lays and Nests,Dens, Burrows, Beds, Lays and Nests,

……Trails, Runs and Escape Routes,Trails, Runs and Escape Routes,

……Bones, Teeth, Fur and Feathers,Bones, Teeth, Fur and Feathers,

……Gnaws, chews and rubs, marking Gnaws, chews and rubs, marking signs and feeding areas. signs and feeding areas.

• All of these can help us learn about All of these can help us learn about wildlife in our area….wildlife in our area….

But But tracktrack basics are where we will basics are where we will start!start!

As we learn how to read and As we learn how to read and understand tracks, we will also understand tracks, we will also learn more about how to use learn more about how to use

other cluesother clues

What is an animal track?What can a track tell

us?• A track is an imprint of the animal’s foot.

• A record of the animal’s movement.

• A clue about an animal’s behaviors.

• Remember; animals don’t cover their tracks!

"Tracking is like learning to read. First you start with the ABC's then you work

up to simple sentences, then to paragraphs and finally to books.

Ultimately, with practice, you can read very difficult books with a great deal of

hidden meaning.”

"A track is a window to the past of an animal. Look at the ground as if it were a

manuscript of the animal's life."

GAITS= pattern of GAITS= pattern of tracks tracks (how they put (how they put their feet down!)their feet down!)

• Each animal has Each animal has typicaltypical patterns of tracks in patterns of tracks in certain situations (i.e. certain situations (i.e. walking, running, etc.)walking, running, etc.)

• ““Assume all animals Assume all animals can do all gaits”can do all gaits”

• F= F= frontfront feet (FF) feet (FF) R= R= rearrear feet (RF) feet (RF)

Basic Gait Patterns (4)Basic Gait Patterns (4)

1.1. Diagonal Walks-Diagonal Walks- like a baby crawling.like a baby crawling.

• Back right foot moves Back right foot moves with front left foot.with front left foot.

• Normal gait for fairly Normal gait for fairly long legs.long legs.

• Dogs, cats and hoofed Dogs, cats and hoofed animals when moving animals when moving more slowly (walking)more slowly (walking)

RegisterRegister- - how fronthow front & back prints relate & back prints relate to each other to each otherA.A.Direct Register-Direct Register- R foot R foot perfectlyperfectly

fits in front track fits in front track so you see only 1 so you see only 1 printprint

• All cats and red All cats and red foxfox

• F foot is generally F foot is generally bigger then R footbigger then R foot

(opposite of normal)(opposite of normal)

RegisterRegisterB.B. Indirect Register-Indirect Register-

R foot touches R foot touches track left by F foot track left by F foot (but not in)(but not in)

**deer, coyote, deer, coyote, domestic domestic

dog (way off!)dog (way off!)

** May be indirect at May be indirect at times, even if times, even if normally direct or normally direct or no register- see cat no register- see cat print!print!

RegisterRegisterC. C. No register-No register-

F and R prints F and R prints

do not touch do not touch

at all.at all.

Side note……Side note……In deer, you may In deer, you may

be able to tell be able to tell gender by the gender by the relationship of F relationship of F and R tracksand R tracks

• females- wider at females- wider at hip relative to hip relative to shouldersshoulders

• Males- wider in Males- wider in shoulders relative shoulders relative to hipsto hips

*make sure you see a SERIES *make sure you see a SERIES of tracks!of tracks!

2. 2. BoundersBounders- - “leap frog” Most “leap frog” Most are long bodied & short legged are long bodied & short legged animalsanimals• R foot brought up just behind F footR foot brought up just behind F foot

• Weasel family- skunk, weasel, minkWeasel family- skunk, weasel, mink

• Any animal may bound on uneven Any animal may bound on uneven groundground

Sometimes in deep snow Sometimes in deep snow you may see this you may see this dumbbell pattern which dumbbell pattern which is produced when the is produced when the animal is not clearing animal is not clearing the snow as they move the snow as they move (bound or gallop)(bound or gallop)

3. Gallop-3. Gallop- RF lands RF lands in front of FFin front of FF• Most power and force Most power and force

comes from R footcomes from R foot• Gallop is a faster gait Gallop is a faster gait

then a bound, used for then a bound, used for “making tracks!” “making tracks!”

• All rabbits (hares) and All rabbits (hares) and rodents rodents

• Wide bodies when Wide bodies when hurrying- beaver, hurrying- beaver, muskrat, woodchuck, muskrat, woodchuck, skunk, raccoon and skunk, raccoon and muskratmuskrat (porcupine, (porcupine, marmot)marmot)

How can you tell if the How can you tell if the tracks were made by a tree tracks were made by a tree or ground dweller?or ground dweller?

• Ground dweller- FF diagonal Ground dweller- FF diagonal (rabbit)(rabbit)

-muscles set up to pivot and -muscles set up to pivot and turnturn

• Tree dweller- FF side by side/ Tree dweller- FF side by side/ vertical (squirrel)vertical (squirrel)

-needs to coordinate feet to -needs to coordinate feet to climbclimb

*Works for birds as well!*Works for birds as well!

•You can only tell a You can only tell a bound from a gallop bound from a gallop if you know which if you know which way they were way they were traveling!traveling!

**How do you tell??????How do you tell??????

ALWAYS showALWAYS show direction ofdirection of travel withtravel with arrowsarrows------------>------------>

How fast?How fast?• You can estimate how You can estimate how

fast the animal was fast the animal was traveling by comparing traveling by comparing the stride the stride measurementsmeasurements

• Increase in space Increase in space between FF & RF, & gap between FF & RF, & gap between track sets between track sets means faster speedmeans faster speed

• Look for tail drag to Look for tail drag to disappear, mud/snow disappear, mud/snow being thrown & depth being thrown & depth of tracks to increase as of tracks to increase as speed upspeed up

How to measure strideHow to measure stride• Overall stride is Overall stride is

measured from the measured from the heel on one side to heel on one side to the next heel on the next heel on that side- dogs, that side- dogs, cats & hoofed cats & hoofed animalsanimals

• Stride of gallopers Stride of gallopers is measured from is measured from tip of R toes to tip of R toes to back of F foot back of F foot (bounders = tip of (bounders = tip of F toes to back of R F toes to back of R foot).foot).

canine gallopcanine gallop• Canines (dog, coyote, Canines (dog, coyote,

fox) will produce a C fox) will produce a C shaped track pattern shaped track pattern when gallopingwhen galloping

Deer gallopDeer gallop• Look at hoof Look at hoof

impressions to impressions to

see which way they see which way they were going.were going.

4. 4. PacePace- wide bodied - wide bodied animals, short legs relative animals, short legs relative to body massto body mass

• Same side RF and Same side RF and FF move FF move together= “John together= “John Wayne”Wayne”

• Bear, raccoon, Bear, raccoon, opossum, skunk, opossum, skunk, beaver, muskratbeaver, muskrat

and woodchuckand woodchuck

(wolverine, (wolverine, badger, porcupine, badger, porcupine, marmot)marmot)

Pace is a slower, less efficient Pace is a slower, less efficient gate, so animals usually don’t gate, so animals usually don’t have major predators to have major predators to worry about.worry about.

• Larger frontal Larger frontal presentation when presentation when strut so the animal strut so the animal looks biggerlooks bigger

• Bucks in rut willBucks in rut will pace- “don’t mess pace- “don’t mess

with me!”with me!”

• Beavers will pace-Beavers will pace- What else should you look What else should you look

forfor in their trail?in their trail?

• Skunks Skunks too!too!

Other tracking Other tracking measurementsmeasurements

• Length, width of Length, width of tracktrack

• Straddle- distance Straddle- distance between left and between left and right heels (0 or right heels (0 or positive)positive)

• Stride- measured Stride- measured from the heel of one from the heel of one foot to the heel of foot to the heel of the other footthe other foot

What happened here?What happened here?

So get on your tracking So get on your tracking shoes, & practice those shoes, & practice those gaits!gaits!You will only truly understand an animal if You will only truly understand an animal if you have walked a mile in their shoes………you have walked a mile in their shoes………I mean feet! Game on………I mean gait on!I mean feet! Game on………I mean gait on!

Watch how this animal puts it’s feet down as it runs.