1. Animal Tracks in the Snow. By: Michelle Tufano & Derrick Pfister

2. How can you identify tracks when you come across them in the snow? ► Most might think the only way to identify tracks are by the footprint but, there are a few other things that will help.

3. They are to: ► Know what animals are native to your region. ► Know what animals are true hibernators. ► Understand that animals walk different and be able to identify their different strides. ► Factor in the size of the track. ► Be aware of what habits animals live in. ► And of course use their footprints.

4. The Mammals of Northeastern Pennsylvania ► Opossum ► 3 – Moles ► 6 – Shrews ► 9 – Bats ► 2 - Cottontail Rabbit ► Snowshoe Hare ► Chipmunk ► Woodchuck AKA Groundhog ► Coyote ► Red/Gray Fox ► Black Bear ► Mink ► Skunk ► Bobcat ► ??? Mountain Lion ??? ► 2 – Squirrels ► 2 – Flying Squirrels ► Beaver ► 5 – Mice ► 2 – Rats ► 3 – Voles ► Bog Lemming ► Muskrat ► Porcupine ► White tailed Deer ► Raccoon ► 2 – Weasel ► River Otter ► Fisher

5. In our region there are only Three True Hibernators. ► Little Brown Bat ► Woodchuck AKA Groundhog ► Jumping Mouse

6. Animals Strides ► Bounders – Back feet land in front of the front tracks.  Weasels, Otters, Badger. ► Pacers – Left front next to the right rear track.  Porcupines, Raccoons, Opossums, Skunks, Bear. ► Diagonal Walker – Left front and right rear  Cats, Dogs, Hoofed Animals. ► Hoppers – Jump ahead with their rear feet landing in front of their front feet.  Rodents-squirrel, Rabbits.

7. Black Bear Tracks ► Pacer ► Front 5 in. L X 5 in. W ► Hind 7 in L X 5 in. W

8. Bobcat ► Notice you don’t see any claws. Diagonal Walker

9. Coyote ► Also a Diagonal Walker ► Front 2” L ► Notice this time you can see the claws. ► Hind 2” L

10. Raccoon ► Pacer

11. Gray Squirrel ► Gray Squirrel are Hoppers.

12. Wild Turkey ► Strides can be 8 to 14” depending on their speed ► Size: 3.5 to 4.5 inches long 3.75 to 4.25 inches wide ► Diagonal Walker

13. Turtles ► Don’t forget reptiles leave tracks too.

14. Beaver ► Pacer

15. Opossum Pacer Pacer

16. Don’t forget about the little guys the make tracks too.

17. Beetles

18. Over Time… ► Tracks change  This is due to the snow packing.  Additional snow falls.  Interference from another animals tracks.  Wind and other weather affects. This can make it vary difficult to properly identify which animal made the track.

19. The End

20. Works Cited ► http://www.bear-tracker.com/ http://www.bear-tracker.com/ ► “Toe Know How”, Camping Magazine. Nov/Dec 2000. ► Life in the Cold. ► The Mammals of NE. PA. By John Serrao ► 4-H Wildlife Is All Around Us, Book #3