How to read animal tracks
  • 1. What is the term for the study of animal tracks and signs?
A) Botany
B) Zoology
C) Animal tracking
D) Paleontology
  • 2. Which of these is NOT a type of animal sign?
A) Scat
B) Cloud formation
C) Rubs
D) Tracks
  • 3. What is gait in the context of animal tracking?
A) The pattern of footfalls
B) Animal's diet
C) Fur color
D) Habitat preference
  • 4. A bounding gait is most commonly seen in which animal group?
A) Reptiles
B) Deer
C) Birds
D) Mustelids (e.g., weasels)
  • 5. What is 'straddle' in tracking terminology?
A) Length of the track
B) Depth of the track
C) Width between tracks
D) Age of the track
  • 6. What is 'register' in tracking?
A) The type of substrate the animal walked on.
B) When the hind foot lands in the print of the forefoot.
C) The number of animals in a group.
D) The animal's vocalization.
  • 7. Which of these substrates is BEST for finding clear tracks?
A) Mud
B) Dry leaves
C) Ice
D) Solid rock
  • 8. What tool is most useful for accurately measuring tracks?
A) Ruler or calipers
B) Binoculars
C) Compass
D) Shovel
  • 9. What does 'claw drag' indicate?
A) The animal's claws are extended
B) The animal is very old
C) The animal is walking on ice
D) The animal is injured
  • 10. Scat analysis can help determine what?
A) Age
B) Migration patterns
C) Sex
D) Diet
  • 11. Which animal is known for its alternating diagonal gait?
A) Fox
B) Bear
C) Rabbit
D) Squirrel
  • 12. What type of feet do rabbits have?
A) Unguligrade
B) Plantigrade
C) Palmate
D) Digitigrade
  • 13. What does a cluster of deer tracks in one area indicate?
A) Bedding area
B) Migration route
C) Hunting ground
D) Water source
  • 14. What is a track pattern showing two feet side by side, then two more feet further ahead called?
A) Walk
B) Gallop
C) Pace
D) Bound
  • 15. What is the term for the space between successive steps of the same foot?
A) Stride
B) Straddle
C) Gait
D) Register
  • 16. Which of these animals is plantigrade?
A) Bear
B) Horse
C) Deer
D) Dog
  • 17. What does it mean if the tracks are very close together?
A) The animal was injured
B) The animal was moving slowly
C) The animal was running fast
D) The animal was very large
  • 18. What is the difference between a track and a trail?
A) There is no difference
B) A trail is made by humans
C) A track is older than a trail
D) A trail is a series of tracks
  • 19. Which of the following is NOT something you can determine from tracks?
A) The animal's direction of travel
B) The animal's name
C) The animal's gait
D) The animal's species
  • 20. What could small rodent tracks near a tree indicate?
A) The animal is migrating.
B) The animal is foraging for food.
C) The animal is injured.
D) The animal is marking its territory.
  • 21. What does a set of bird tracks ending abruptly at a tree indicate?
A) The bird is dead
B) The bird flew away
C) The bird is nesting
D) The bird was captured
  • 22. Why is it important to take photos of tracks?
A) For documentation and later analysis
B) To sell the photos
C) To attract other trackers
D) To scare away animals
  • 23. What is a track 'pattern'?
A) The size of a single track
B) The sharpness of a single track
C) The overall arrangement of multiple tracks
D) The depth of a single track
  • 24. What is a good reference guide to take with you when identifying tracks?
A) A guide to identifying trees
B) A field guide specific to animal tracks in your region
C) A guide to identifying bird calls
D) A guide to cloud formations
  • 25. Which of these might obscure or distort tracks?
A) Sunlight
B) Moonlight
C) Rain
D) Wind
  • 26. What is a 'rub'?
A) A type of insect
B) Where an animal has rubbed against a tree or rock
C) A type of plant
D) A method of cleaning tracks
  • 27. What is the term for the front feet of an animal?
A) Legs
B) Hindfeet
C) Forefeet
D) Paws
  • 28. What is the purpose of animal tracking for conservation?
A) Attracting animals
B) Building trails
C) Hunting animals
D) Monitoring populations and movement
  • 29. Which animal typically has a large pad and four toes on their front feet?
A) Rodent (mouse, rat, squirrel)
B) Feline (cat, lion, tiger)
C) Ungulate (deer, elk, moose)
D) Canine (dog, wolf, fox)
  • 30. What information can you infer from the direction of travel of tracks?
A) What the animal ate last
B) The animal's health
C) The animal's age
D) Where the animal is going
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