Ever spotted mysterious paw prints on a woodland trail and wondered who made them? If you love exploring the great outdoors, chances are you’ve already stumbled across a few.
At PGL, we have amazing wildlife across our 18 centres. From a thriving badger population at Boreatton Park, 3 species of bats at Newby Wiske Hall and the famous Red Squirrels at Little Canada on the Isle of Wight, we’ve got it all!
For young explorers eager to learn more about British wildlife, this guide will help you identify animal tracks and signs, providing tips, tricks, and tools to become a master tracker.
Why is animal tracking important?
There’s a lot to be learned from animals. The way they behave, evolve, and respond to environmental changes offers us invaluable insights into the natural world. By understanding and identifying animal tracks and signs, we can begin to uncover mysteries of the animal kingdom and, ultimately, better protect wildlife and their habitats.
Here are a few more reasons why wildlife tracking benefits both humans and animals:
Wildlife conservation
Animal tracking plays a big role in helping protect our precious wildlife. By learning how to identify animal tracks, conservationists can determine where animals live, estimate population sizes, identify trends (e.g., decline or growth), and assess the impact of climate change, pollution, habitat fragmentation, and human development on wildlife. In turn, this helps create safe spaces, such as nature reserves, supports diverse ecosystems, and mitigates against many threats.
Scientific research
Tracking wildlife provides scientists with data on an animal’s natural behaviour, including feeding habits, mating rituals, social structures, predator-prey interactions, and how animals adapt to their environment. Researchers often rely on animal tracks, such as paw prints, to uncover details about an animal’s size, age, and even physical condition. Meanwhile, analysing scat can provide details on diet, health, and genetics.
Human-wildlife coexistence
Learning how to identify animal tracks helps people and wildlife live together safely. By understanding where animals roam, we can avoid disturbing their habitats or getting too close. For example, spotting fox prints in your garden tells you they’re nearby, so you can secure bins or pet food. For communities that rely on natural resources, understanding animal foraging patterns can inform sustainable practices in fisheries, farming, forestry, and grazing.
Survival
Knowing how to track animals is a key survival skill, just like building a shelter or starting a fire. In the wild, being able to spot footprints, nibbles, or animal trails can help you find food, fresh water, or avoid danger. Early humans relied on wildlife tracking to hunt and stay safe, and those skills are still useful today, especially during outdoor adventures or at bushcraft camps.
How to identify animal tracks
When you’re out exploring, animals may be hiding, but the signs they leave behind tell us where they’ve been and what they’ve been up to. From footprints in the mud to claw marks on a tree, here’s what to look out for:
1. Tracks & paw prints
One of the most common signs is animal footprints, also known as tracks. Depending on the surface, the prints can be clearly seen and well-detailed, or hard to make out. The best places to spot them are muddy paths, wet sand by rivers, snowy fields, or even frost-covered lawns early in the morning.
Examples of animal tracks:
- Fox: Oval paw prints with four toes and a pointed heel pad. No claw marks usually, and foxes tend to walk neatly in a straight line compared to the random movement of dogs.
- Badger: Wide, round prints with five toes and visible long claw marks. Their nocturnal nature makes them difficult to spot, but they’re often found near woodland paths or badger setts—look for them in soft mud after rain.
- Deer: Hoof prints are cloven (split in two) and heart-shaped. Roe deer are common in the UK and often leave prints near woodland edges or open fields. Not to be confused with sheep tracks, which are much more rounded.
- Rabbits: Their prints show larger oval-shaped back feet and smaller, rounder front ones, often in a hopping pattern. As sociable creatures, their tracks can be seen in soft soil or snow near hedgerows, field edges, or grassy clearings.
- Birds: Most birds leave a three-toed print that looks like a “Y” shape, though some, like herons or pheasants, have a fourth toe pointing backwards. Ducks and gulls have wide, webbed feet near water.
2. Scat (animal droppings)
The droppings (or scat) animals leave behind can reveal a lot. By looking at the size, shape, texture, and where it’s found, we can learn what the animal eats, how recently it passed by, and even clues about its health. Animal droppings are mainly found on paths, near dens, or at the edge of clearings.
Examples of animal droppings:
- Fox: Twisty, thin droppings often containing fur, feathers, or seeds from their varied diet. Foxes usually leave them on logs, rocks, or in the middle of trails to mark their territory and communicate with other foxes.
- Deer: Small, dark pellets that can be scattered individually or clumped together depending on what they’ve been eating. You’ll often find them where deer like to feed, either under oak or beech trees in woodlands or forest edges.
- Hedgehog: Cylindrical droppings packed with shiny insect shells, reflecting their diet of beetles and slugs. Hedgehog droppings are commonly found in gardens, near log piles, or tucked under garden sheds where they rest.
- Otter: Known as ‘spraint,’ these droppings have a slightly sweet, jasmine-like smell. Otters often leave spraint on rocks, logs, or grassy riverbanks near freshwater streams and ponds.
3. Nibbles
Chewed food, bark, or nuts can reveal what’s been having a snack nearby. From tiny tooth marks to stripped twigs, these clues indicate which animals have been feeding in the area. Different species leave different bite patterns, and where you find the leftovers can also help you narrow down the culprit.
Examples of nibbles:
- Squirrels: Chewed pine cones look like little green or brown sticks with jagged bite marks, resembling a well-picked corn on the cob. These are often found scattered at the base of conifer trees in parks, gardens, or woodland areas.
- Mice and voles: Tiny, neat tooth marks appear on hazelnuts or acorns, usually creating a smooth, round hole at one end. These nibbled shells are tucked away under logs, leaf litter, or in grassy patches near hedgerows or stone walls.
- Deer: Bark stripped clean from young trees and shrubs, especially noticeable in winter when food is scarce. Look for rough tooth marks about 1 metre high, often on saplings or low branches in woodlands and field edges.
- Rabbits: Clean, sharp cuts on short grass, dandelions, and low-growing plants, clipped off at a tidy angle. You may also see bark gnawed in small patches near burrows or along well-used rabbit trails through fields and hedges.
4. Homes & habitats
If you take time to explore a woodland, park, or open field, you might just discover some of the hidden homes animals have built. Spotting these habitats gives you a better understanding of where different creatures live, raise their young, and rest during the day. Always observe from a distance as these are special, private places for wildlife.
Examples of animal habitats:
- Badger setts: These are large underground burrows with wide entrances (up to 30cm across), often surrounded by spoil heaps (piles of dug-out soil), worn paths, and bits of old bedding like grass or bracken.
- Fox dens: Also known as earths, fox dens are usually tucked into banks, under tree roots, or beneath garden sheds. Smaller than badger setts, they often have scattered feathers, bones, or a musky smell nearby.
- Bird nests: Found high in trees, low in hedgerows, or wall crevices, bird nests vary by species. Robins and blackbirds build neat, cup-shaped nests from twigs and moss, while owls prefer hollow trees. You might even spot abandoned nests in winter when leaves are gone.
- Hedgehog nests: These cosy hideaways are hidden under piles of leaves, logs, or thick undergrowth. Look for a dome-shaped nest made of grass, moss, and leaves. Hedgehogs use these to hibernate through the colder months.
5. Feathers & fur
Spotting fur or feathers on the ground is a clear sign that an animal has recently passed by, or narrowly escaped a predator! These clues are often found near hedgerows, fences, brambles, woodland paths, or places where animals feed or rest. They may seem small, but they’re a great way to know which species are active in the area.
Examples of animal features and fur:
- Fox fur: Reddish-orange hairs can get easily snagged on wire fences, low branches, or brambles. Check near woodland edges, footpaths, or chicken coops, where foxes are most likely to roam at night.
- Rabbit fur: Soft, grey or white tufts left behind after a predator chase. Look near burrows, clearings, or alongside prints and scat for more clues.
- Bird feathers: A loose pile of feathers can signal a predator attack. Pigeons, for example, often leave grey feathers scattered on the ground after being startled or caught.
- Owl feathers: Soft and velvety with a fringed edge to help them fly silently. You can find them beneath tall trees or roosting spots, often near pellets and white droppings.
Top wildlife tracking tips for young adventurers
Ready to become a real-life nature detective? With a bit of practice and the right tools, you’ll soon be wildlife tracking like a pro. Here are some top tips and tools to help you become a super sleuth of the animal world:
Tools you’ll need:
- Notebook and pencil: Use to jot down what you find and sketch the track.
- Magnifying glass: Zoom in on tiny details like claw marks or teeth nibbles.
- Measuring tape or ruler: Measure footprints and gaps between them.
- Field guide: A visual aid to help compare and identify animal signs.
- Camera or phone: Take pictures to identify clues later
- Binoculars: Spot birds or mammals from a distance
- Plaster of Paris: Make casts of paw prints to keep as souvenirs
1. Be quiet and patient
Animals have excellent hearing and can get easily spooked by loud noises or sudden movements. By moving slowly and keeping your voice low, you’ll have a much better chance of spotting them. Be sure to listen carefully for any sounds around you, like rustling leaves or bird calls, as these can be the first clues that an animal is nearby. Remember, patience is key!
2. Start early or at dusk
The majority of animals are more active early in the morning or late in the evening. This is because temperatures are cooler, and there are fewer people around, making it a safer time for wildlife to forage and explore. Think: “the early bird catches the worm!” It’s also the perfect time to spot fresh tracks left overnight in soft ground, dew-covered grass, or snow.
3. Look low and slow
Most tracks, scat, and gnaw marks are found on the ground, in the mud, sand, or snow, or on low-lying plants and tree trunks. Walk slowly, with your eyes scanning the ground just ahead of you. Crouch down to get a better view and really concentrate on every detail to uncover all the hidden evidence.
4. Go with a buddy
Wildlife tracking is always more exciting (and safer!) with someone else. Bring along a parent, friend, or sibling so you can search together. One of you might notice fur caught on a fence, while the other finds a hidden trail of pawprints. Plus, it’s a great way to enjoy nature as a group—two sets of eyes are always better than one!
5. Respect nature
When you’re out being a nature detective, it’s super important to be kind to all living things. Never try to touch wild animals, even if they look cute, and always leave their homes, like nests or burrows, undisturbed. By respecting nature, you help keep the wild safe for both animals and humans.
Practice makes perfect, so the more you explore, the better you’ll get at spotting clues. Before long, you’ll be teaching your friends and family how to track animals!
Join the adventure at PGL!
Learning about British wildlife can instil a passion for the great outdoors. Why not let your child continue developing this passion on a PGL bushcraft camp adventure! Tailored for nature enthusiasts aged 8-13 years old, kids can learn a wide range of outdoor skills while enjoying a fantastic selection of activities, including archery, kayaking, giant swing and much more!
At PGL, you can:
- Learn how to identify trees and plants
- Build shelters, light campfires and practice essential survival skills
- Make new friends and build confidence
Want a taster ahead of the full 7-night experience? Starting from £399, give our 3-night specialist Bushcraft camp a go! Cooks Academy and Cool Science are also available for 3 nights. Get in touch with our friendly and experienced team for more information!
