Fresh Snow Makes for Great Tracking

Our recent light snowfalls have made for great tracking conditions in the T.A. Forest. An inch or so of snow is all that is needed to document the passing of winter wildlife. Any more than a few inches can make determining the species that left the tracks much trickier. On our latest trip outdoors, my semester 2 wildlife students were treated to a variety of tracks on and around the eastern trail. Gray squirrels have expectedly been out and about on the warmer days, visiting our feeders and digging for acorns buried last fall.

Gray  squirrel tracks in the T.A. Forest

A big part of identifying a track is understanding the way each creature walks, also known as gait pattern. Maine mammals can be broken into four distinct groups including diagonal walkers (dogs, cats, deer), bounders (weasels), gallopers (squirrels, rabbits), and striders (bears, raccoons, porcupines, skunks). The gray squirrel is a classic galloper in that its hind feet often land ahead of its front feet as it runs. The tracks seen above are typical of this gait pattern. It can be hard for beginners to decipher which direction a galloper was headed as we expect the larger hind feet to be in the back. Careful observation of the direction the toes point will clear up any confusion. The squirrel tracks shown above point to the upper lefthand side of the frame. 

 Raccoon tracks in the T.A. Forest

Our most exciting discovery last week was this fresh set of raccoon tracks meandering from one squirrel feeder to the next. Raccoons spend much of the winter in den sites resting and living off of fat stores built up the previous fall. However, any warm snap will bring them out in search of an easy meal. It was neat to get to see such perfect prints in the dusting of snow. This is a great representation of a "pacer" gait pattern as each foot lands in its own spot unlike diagonal walking foxes and coyotes whose hind feet land perfectly in the tracks created by their front feet.