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Article: Whose track is that? (how to discern animal tracks; includes related bibliography)
- Article from:
- Ranger Rick
- Article date:
- January 1, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 National Wildlife Federation. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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A fox chased a rabbit across a meadow. The rabbit disappeared down a hole and then scampered out of another hole. Nearby, a young bobcat got too close to a skunk. Ffffftt, the skunk turned around and blasted out a stinky spray.
All this took place when no people were around. But we can figure out what happened by reading the animals' tracks! As animals hop, run, walk, wiggle, and slither around, they leave telltale marks in snow or soft soil. Moist sand and muddy areas are also good places to check for tracks.
Want to become a nature detective? Here are some clues to help you tune in to tracks.
First Clue: What Shape?
Some animals--such as ...