How to Compare Animal Tracks
- 1
Toe pads and claws of a domestic dogpaw image by pusti from Fotolia.com
Identify the number of toes present. In clear tracks, this is one of the most easily identifiable features. - 2
Clawscat paws image by Albert Lozano from Fotolia.com
Look for small indentations from the claws in front of each toe--not always an easy task since they can blend in quite well. Some animals, like cats, have fully retractable claws, while foxes have partially retractable claws and wolf and coyote claws do not retract at all. - 3
Measure the trackmeasure image by .shock from Fotolia.com
Measure the width and the length of the track from the back edge of the heel pad to the tip of the longest toe. If you have a series of tracks, measure the stride (distance between the heel of one track to the heel of the next track) and make a note of your findings. - 4
Simple sketchhand drawing euro symbol image by Bartlomiej Nowak from Fotolia.com
If comparing one track to a distant track, sketch it. Do not worry about your artistic ability, but focus on the general shape of the foot and the impression it makes.
If comparing it to a picture in a guide, skip the sketching. - 5). Look for similarly structured tracks in the field guide. Narrow down the possibilities by size and other features present or lacking. For example: It has four toes, no claws and measures 1 inch in length. The number of toes and lack of claws puts it in the cat family and the size identifies it as a house cat.
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