How to Identify Wild Animals by Their Tracks and Feces

Identifying wild animals by their tracks and feces can often be a fun and rewarding adventure. Not only are you learning about the animals which reside in your local area, but you are learning how to enhance your powers of observation as well.

• Observe the area around the discovered track or feces. Search for teeth or claw marks, signs of fur or feathers and other markings in the area.


• Use your camera and photograph the track or feces. If you don’t have a camera available, try sketching an accurate image on a sketchbook. These both can help aid your memory for future reference.


• For tracks: Measure the width and length of the track. Make note of the number of claws or toes and the distance in between them. Should the track be of a hoof, note if the hoof is cloven and how much space is between the two sides of the hoof.


• For feces: Make note of the color, formation, size, number and contents of the feces.


• Refer to your guidebook on your findings to determine what type of animal the tracks or feces belong to.

Tips

• The more clues you can find when observing the area, the higher degree of certainty you can achieve with identifying the animal.


• Discover what animals can be commonly found in your area and familiarize yourself before heading out to identify wild animal tracks. This will help you to save time while you are out on the field.