Tracking Quiz website

Tracking Quizzes

Quiz #4 - Question

  

Attached is a series of digital photos of tracks of a mystery animal walking in a dusting of fresh snow that was on top of bare ice. It is interesting & challenging because the tracks show up in distinct contrast to the snow, but only show up as general foot outlines; no details can be seen in the toes.

  • Habitat: Marsh next to a railroad, and surrounded by oak woodlands. Suburb just outside of Hartford, CT.

  • Time of year: January. 

  • Weather at time tracks were made: Clear & bitterly cold (low temp of 5 degrees F).

Photo B1 is an overall shot showing the trail & habitat. The tracks are on a muddy road that goes around the marsh, the puddles on the road have frozen, and there is a dusting of fresh snow on top. Photo B2 is zoomed in. Direction of travel was towards the camera. As you can see, this was either 1 animal following the same route & direction 3 times, or a pack of 3 animals traveling together. 

Photo B3 is turned around, pointed in the direction of travel, with B4 & B5 zoomed in. Note that the front & rear feet are different sizes, with an alternating pattern of small-large-small-large. Stride was 12" and very consistent. Trail Width was 4½".

Photos B6 & B7 are closeups of the footprints. The smaller print was 2" wide by 2" long; the larger print was 2" wide by 3" long.

Photo B8 shows that the animals entered a section of unfrozen water after crossing the ice.

Good luck!
Brian

Photo B1: an overall shot showing the trail & habitat. The tracks are on a muddy road that goes around the marsh, the puddles on the road have frozen, and there is a dusting of fresh snow on top. 
  
Photo B2: is zoomed in. Direction of travel was towards the camera. As you can see, this was either 1 animal following the same route & direction 3 times, or a pack of 3 animals traveling together. 
  
Photo B3: is turned around, pointed in the direction of travel
  
Photo B4: zoomed in
  

Photo B5: zoomed in

  
Photo B6: close-up of the footprints.
  

Photo B7: close-up of the footprints.

Photo B8: shows that the animals entered a section of unfrozen water after crossing the ice.
  

Quiz #4 - Answer

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