Reading nature’s diary
Want to be the Sherlock Holmes of the animal world?
Upon seeing tracks in the snow or mud, you can begin by deducing the answers to such questions as: which animals were here, and where were they going? Were they casually walking in a hunt for food, or running for their lives in an attempt to not become food? Why did their tracks suddenly disappear?
The first thing to understand is that animals don’t just wander about aimlessly. Their tracks generally lead to a place of food, water or shelter. And while this column is about identifying, rather than tracking animals, this information may help you identify the animals based on their environment.
For example, if you find tracks near bushes, there’s a good chance they are rabbit tracks because they like to forage for food near their burrow, and can use the bushes as protection against coyotes.
Always begin by looking at the overall track pattern. If you can see a long line of tracks in the snow, it can immediately help you to identify the animal. Around Calgary, here’s a list of three of the usual suspects:
RABBIT
These tracks are usually oval in shape, with five toes on each foot, though only four toes may show in the snowy tracks. In hares, the rear tracks are typically larger than the front paw tracks. The bounding gait as they move across the snow may vary from a few centimetres to several metres, depending on whether they’re running or not. If you see tracks close together it’s because the rabbit is walking as it explores.
COYOTE
These tracks are ovalshaped and measure approximately six centimetres long by five centimetres wide. The four toes with claws should be visible in both the front and hind tracks with the hind foot slightly smaller. The footpad is triangularly shaped.
Their gait varies to include walking, trotting and galloping. They like the overstep trot, where the front and hind feet land close together, creating a very straight and narrow line in the snow. The distance of the step lengths of the paw prints will often measure between 38 and 55 centimetres.
DEER
The tracks of white-tailed deer are familiar to many people. Like all deer, they have four toes in their hoofs, but tracks usually only show the first two, as they’re larger. The tracks are heart-shaped overall, with front feet being slightly larger than rear.
The gait of deer walking will show the hind tracks falling close to or on top of the front tracks. Walking strides are usually 38 to 63 centimetres long, while in a trot the stride is 88 to 125 centimetres long.