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