Here’s a tracking quiz that doesn’t have any
tracks. (Tracking is more than just studying tracks – it involves looking
for all kinds of signs of the presence of animals, whether it’s tracks,
trails, scat, dens, nests, feeding sign, or whatever.)
Photo 53A Habitat:
Mixed hardwood/conifer forest in rocky hills of rural northeast
Massachusetts
Time of year: March
Photo 53B
One tree in the woods has been the
repeated subject of attention.
Photo 53C
The bark is significantly
damaged...
Photo 53D
...and there are deep chunks of
wood torn out
Photo 53E
Photo 52E shows how widely the
wood chips have been scattered on the forest floor.
Photo 53F
Photo
52F shows the size of the wood chips.
Questions:
1. What kind of animal
(general family of animal) did such massive damage to this tree?
2. What specific species of animal was it?
3. Why did the animal damage the tree so extensively?
4. When did the activity occur?
5. How could you have identified this tree as a candidate for getting
attacked like this before it happened?
