Pics of different animal tracks.

[Hairyman]

I thought a thread with photos of tracks of different animals and a short explanation would be useful.

First up track of a cattledog cross, the rear foot has overprinted but slightly behind the front.
Track is in damp sand just after rain.


Second are echidna tracks, again in damp sand and the rear foot has overprinted the front.
Direction of travel is to the top of the pic. Echidnas have a unique print in that the rear elongated claws are almost reversed
direction compared to the front.

 

[Hairyman]

Brushtailed possum track in road dust.

 

[Hairyman]

Very fresh large dog (rotty xross) tracks in river mud, at least 2 different bird tracks as well.


Wallaby tracks in damp beach sand, probably whiptail wallaby (Macropus parryi)

 

[Wentworth]

Thanks Hairyman, the lighting in the photos really shows the tracks clearly.

 

[rslt]

Nice pics, did your see these animals or do you know the tracks?

 

[Hairyman]

A bit of both rslt.

 

[Hairyman]

Echidna quill drags. Why are these sometimes evident and other times not?

 

[Thrud]

I don't know for sure, maybe it was going over speed bumps?:_risata:

 

[Aussie123]

Echidna quill drags. Why are these sometimes evident and other times not?
...

I don't know, but I've thought about it in the past.
Here are a couple of internet pictures.

First shows an echidna who appears to be (almost) dragging the quills at the rear:


Second shows an echidna who looks like he's clear of the ground:


Obviously sometimes they drag and hence there are marks, and sometimes they don't drag.
But I'm not sure why either. Best I can say is ...

Drooping could be a thing if :
- they are tired (they droop),
- male vs female,
- mating behaviors (could be creating a scent trail/mark),
- old vs young,
- sick vs health
- running vs walking (speed)
- or just variation from individual to individual
... that about covers it I think !

 

[Hairyman]

Very soft sand or fat% are other possibilities.

 

[Luke777]

Awesome pics, try to do the same when hiking myself, still learning though.

 

[peter.]

do they mark territory?