Key Points
- When it comes to studying animal behavior, their lives and population, tracks are a great source of information.
- In some instances, checking animals tracks has been a very useful method in restoring their population.
- The dwindling otter community of England has seen a new life since it was possible to track their population and reduce water pollution in areas that they inhabited.
Otter Tracks
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Having almost completely disappeared from British waterways in the 1970s, efforts to save Otters from extinction have proved to be working. Otter population numbers in the UK fell drastically with increasing levels of water pollution but they have recently been reported as being found in every county in the country. These beautiful mammals can often be difficult to spot though but their prints in the mud are a tell-tale sign of their whereabouts.
By looking more not just for the animals themselves but for the distinctive clues that they leave behind, a whole new element of the natural world opens up. Different animals have different prints which can vary widely between species. Below is a small collection of the tracks of a number of different animals which are found around the world in mud, snow and even sand.
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Summary
Here we have listed the animals whose paw prints have been seen frequently around the globe:
1 | Dog |
2 | Bison |
3 | Cougar |
4 | Racoon |
5 | Moose |
6 | Elephant |
7 | Insects |
8 | Deer Mouse |
9 | Brown Bear |
10 | Grey Wolf |
Next Up…
- Where Do Whale Sharks Live? Tracking Their Habitat: Whale sharks are a non-aggressive species that live on plankton life. Find out more about their lives here.
- Discover History’s Greatest Shark vs Alligator Battle (Hundreds of Gators and Sharks Fought): Do fish battle for dominance, apparently yes. Find out about this epic rivalry of gators and sharks.
- 10 Incredible African Wild Dog Facts: African wild dogs are an endangered species also known as the African wolves. Find out some incredible facts about these hunters.
More from A-Z Animals
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Sources
- David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2011) Animal, The Definitive Visual Guide To The World's Wildlife
- Tom Jackson, Lorenz Books (2007) The World Encyclopedia Of Animals
- David Burnie, Kingfisher (2011) The Kingfisher Animal Encyclopedia
- Richard Mackay, University of California Press (2009) The Atlas Of Endangered Species
- David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2008) Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Animals
- Dorling Kindersley (2006) Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia Of Animals