Tracking Quiz website

Tracking Quizzes

Quiz #33 - Question

 
Here’s a basic quiz of a common animal that is familiar to most folks.
 
Photo 33A

Habitat: Marsh & forested swamp in suburban central Connecticut.

Time of year: January

Photo 33B shows a trail in snow, going across the open, frozen marsh. The stride ranged from 28 to 36 inches.

 

Photo 33C
Photos 33C & 33D are close-ups of the track groups. The groups of tracks measured 4½ inches long. The trail width was 4¾ inches. The “trail width” of the 2 smaller feet measured 1½ inches. The larger 2 feet measured 2¼ - 2½ inches long by 1 inch wide. The smaller 2 feet measured 1¾ inches long by 1 inch wide.
Photo 33D
Photo 33E shows the trail of the same animal, where it left the open marsh and entered the woods, where it crossed a frozen pond. The snowpack was lighter here in the trees; just a dusting on top of the ice. The stride here was 18 inches, and the trail width was 3½ inches. All other measurements were similar to those seen in the open swamp.
Photo 33F - closer up
Photo 33G - and even closer
 
Questions:
  1. Who is the mystery animal?
  2. What type of gait was it using?
  3. Which tracks are the front, and which are the hind?
 

Quiz #33 - Answer

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