Animal Tracks By The River

Always Curious Kelly

I have found in nature there is ALWAYS something of interest if only you allow yourself to look!

I'm not an expert on animal tracks by any means, so please allow grace for any identification I make. The only thing I know for sure is that I had fun wandering around the river banks looking for evidence of life. Based on my limited knowledge, the track with 5 toes is quite possibly a coatimundi.

Pretty sure this next one is not a wild animal. It was a big print, with the water bottle in there for comparison. That said, it was probably a dog. Although maybe a big coyote?

Now we are back to wild animals, but a little more common. Deer!

This next picture with my shadow in it was my favorite to identify because …

I suspected a cat rather than a canine, and looking through a few sources, the highest probability looked to be a bobcat. Bobcat tracks are typically 1.5 to 2 inches long and 1.25 to 1.75 inches wide. They have four toes and no claw marks, as bobcats retract their claws when walking. The tracks are rounded and show a clear M-shape in the heel pad.

Take that for what it's worth.

While I never found the birding blind I was looking for, I am almost never at a loss for finding something to be curious about when I am hiking.

Have you seen any cool animal tracks on your hikes?

Thanks for reading,

Stay Kurious,

~ Kelly

Every photo tells a story, and stories are better with company. If you enjoyed this glimpse into our life in the Sky Islands (and beyond), please pass it along to a fellow explorer. Thank you!