Animal Tracks Identification: Critter Pictures

You don't have to be in the jungle or deep forest to be an animal tracker. Tracks are as close as your backyard—or a critter nibbling in your garden! See our animal track pictures below for clues to animal behavior!

Tracking is something that you learn by doing. Get out there an look! Here are a few tips:

• Animal tracks are easiest to find in mud, soft garden soil, sand, and snow.
• Study the ground closely. Get down on your hands and knees. Note the size of the track and whether it shows claw marks. You may wish to make a sketch.
• Track early in the morning or late in the day when shadows make prints easier to see.
• Watch for animal droppings called scat. The scat will also help you track the animal. If it's dry all the way through, the tracks may have been left a while ago. Scat can also tell you if you're tracking a vegetarian or a meat eater.
• If you lose the trail, search in a circle around the track until you pick up the trail again.
• The most important tip of all: don't get lost!