Winter Wildlife: Investigating Animal Tracks in the Snow!

Winter is in full force! There has been quite a lot of snow so far this year. Have you ever noticed that the wildlife seems to disappear or hibernate during the cold season? Though this can be somewhat true for some species, many animals are still out and about all winter long. They do tend to come out at night or avoid areas with many people around, so spotting any of these critters may be challenging in the winter. However, there is something special about this season that can help us track these animals and find out more about their whereabouts and behaviours–snow!

The snow makes animal tracks and footprints very easy for all to see! Investigating animal tracks in the snow can be great fun. Light snowfall can often be best for tracking because of the high visibility and amount of detail that will be preserved. With a little bit of detective work, we can even determine what kind of animal left the tracks behind. Some animals can be very easy to identify based on their prints, like birds for example. 

You may have to watch very carefully to see the tiny prints left behind by a bird, but the distinct shape of a bird talon will be very recognizable! determining the exact species can be a little bit more difficult. If a bird has landed in the snow or swooped down to catch some prey, they may leave behind an additional clue; the imprints of wingtips.

Mammal footprints tend to have more distinguishing features, like size, shape, distance and the alignment of the prints in each stride. The prints of a rabbit in stride will show the two large back feet in front of the smaller front paws. You can tell the speed of the rabbit by the distance between each set. Foxes, wolves and coyotes tend to move with their feet in-line, leaving very narrow sets of prints, while domesticated animals like dogs and cats will have their legs spread apart a little more. Animals like deer will leave behind a very different print, because of their hooves. Judging by the size of the print, you may even be able to tell if these animals are young, or fully grown. 

With a little bit more detective work, the prints you find in the snow may even be able to tell a story or reveal some insight on an animal’s behaviour. Take note about where the animal was heading, possibly towards food or shelter? Tracks that end at the base of a tree may indicate a climbing critter, like a squirrel, while a tight grouping of elongated prints near a toppled garbage bin could be the sign of a hungry raccoon or two. 

Searching for animal tracks in the snow is such great fun! What kind of critter trails can you discover?