MAMMAL TRACKS

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MAMMAL TRACKS

• Brazos Valley Chapter
• Texas Master Naturalist

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Why learn tracks?

• Joy of observation
• Education- Project Wild
• Inventories, e.g. BioBlitz
• Protected areas
• Tax incentives for private lands habitat
• Problem-solving
• Forensics
• Animal damage control

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Who learns tracks?

• Trappers, park rangers, guides
• scientists
• Cybertracker International
• International Society of Professional Trackers
• Texas Master Naturalists

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How to learn tracks

• Count the toes! Mental flash cards
• Understand the natural history of the species
  feet are tools for
• Locomotion swimming, running
• Feeding digging, catching, swatting, opening
• Make casts, photos, outlines
• Test yourself with slides
• Dirt-time track, track, more track
• Compare your answers with others

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Pretest

• Take each plaster cast at your table
• Inside the critters skinmake tracks
• number the tracks in the sand
• In your field notebook
• write a list of numbers
• name the species for each numbered track
• Compare your answers
• agreement
• Discuss similarities and differences

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How many toes? 2-3
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Track 1
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Armadillo
Bill Parker
http//www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/junior_natura
lists/armadillo.phtml
http//www.flickr.com/photos/slider5/265312994/
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Track 2
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Deer
http//www.tpwd.state.tx.us/kids/wild_things/wildl
ife/whitetailed_deer.phtml
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Track 3
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Feral pig
http//www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/sus_scro.htm http//
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/nuisance/feral_
hogs/
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How many toes? 4 4 toenails
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How many toes? 4 4 no nails
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Track 4
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Red Fox

• http//www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/vulpvulp.htm
• http//www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/nonpwdpub
  s/introducing_mammals/red_foxes/

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Track 5
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Bobcat

• http//www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/junior_natura
  lists/cats.phtml

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Track 6
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Coyote

• http//www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/junior_natura
  lists/coyote.phtml

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How many toes? 4 5
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How many toes? 4 5
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Track 7
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Beaver
http//www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/nonpwdpub
s/introducing_mammals/beavers/

• http//www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/castcana.htm

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Track 8
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Nutria
Tom Darden

• http//www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/myoccoyp.htm
• http//www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/m
  edia/pwd_bk_k0700_0517.pdf
• http//www.mdinvasivesp.org/species/vertebrates/Nu
  tria.html

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Track 9
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Raccoon

• http//www.conservapedia.com/Raccoon
• http//www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/procloto.htm
• http//www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/
  raccoon/

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Track 10
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Cottontail Rabbit

• http//www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/sylvflor.htm
• http//www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/nonpwdpub
  s/introducing_mammals/rabbits/

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Track 11
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Fox Squirrel

• http//www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/sciunige.htm
• http//www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/nonpwdpub
  s/introducing_mammals/squirrels/

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How many toes? 5 5
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Track 12
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River Otter
Jennifer Loring

• http//www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/lutrcana.htm

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Track 13
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Opossum

• http//www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/didevirg.htm
• http//www.tpwd.state.tx.us/kids/about_texas/regio
  ns/pineywoods/big_kids/pineywoods_wildlife.phtml

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Track 14
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Striped Skunk

• http//www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/mephmeph.htm
• http//www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/nonpwdpub
  s/introducing_mammals/skunks/

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Post-test

• Move to a new track station
• Examine the tracks in the sand
• Consult your notes flashcards
• In your field notebook
• write a list of numbers
• name the species for each numbered track
• Compare your answers
• agreement with the expert for this station
• Discuss how to expand your tracking skills

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ENJOY!!!
Elbroch 2003
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Sources

• Elbroch, Mark. 2003. Mammal Tracks and Sign
  A guide to North American Species. Stackpole
  Books Mechanicsburg, PA
• Levine, Lynn, and Michell, Martha. 2001. Mammal
  Tracks Life-size tracking guide. Heartwood
  Press East Dummerston, VT
• BLOG What is it? http//blogs.tamu.edu/thicketat
  bi/
• Davis, William B. and Schmidly, David J. The
  Mammals of Texas. Online version.
  http//www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/
• Nature Tracking for training in Texas