Page 63 - Mammal (DK Eyewitness)

Hedgehog footprints

Badger Hedgehog Rat footprints

Toe pads

Four toe
prints visible
3
Main foot pad 2
4
Small inner toe 1

Fore-print Front print
Hind print

BIG FOOT
The distinctive imprint of the
badger has five toe pads in a
curved line above the main pad,
although the inner toe is small and
may leave only a small mark. These
heavily built carnivores are planti-
grade (p. 59) and usually leave Print of skin­covered pad
Hind print good tracks. In its rolling walk, the
badger’s left and right limbs have a MISSING BIG TOES?
large gap or straddle between them. The five-toed hedgehog
usually leaves a four-toed
track, because its inner
COMMON PRINTS: FOX OR DOG? (1st) toe is smaller and
The red fox’s prints can easily be mistaken for a dog’s. Both of these held farther from the
carnivores are digitigrade, like the cat opposite. The fox’s claws are ground. Like the badger,
usually visible and they are slightly longer and narrower than a dog’s this stocky, plantigrade
LEAVING LITTLE IMPRESSION
claws; also, the fox’s toe pads are relatively Surprisingly, the heaviest land mammal, the walker shows
smaller and more offset from center elephant, often does not leave much of a mark considerable straddle,
than in a dog. The hair between the with its feet. In soft ground there is a large, with a gap of about 2 in
pads shows clearly, and in winter it rounded print (above). But on looser, sandier soil (5 cm) between right and
may grow so long that it obscures the flexible foot pads (p. 59) spread the weight so left feet. The toes of the
the pads and blurs the print’s effectively that prints are shallow or absent. front feet are more
outline. As it trots, the fox puts each splayed (spread) than
back paw in the print made by the those on the back feet.
front paw on that side of the body.
Fur between
toes shows ON THE TRAIL OF THE RAT
in print Rats and mice are small, light
creatures and seldom leave 2
distinct tracks, except perhaps Four toes 3
in thin snow or in the dust on 1
a shelf or granary floor. The
toes are spread out and the Foot pad 4
claw points are sometimes
Front print
visible. As in other mammals, Front print
the sole pads have sweat
glands that leave tiny traces of
sweat in the prints. Rats also
leave greasy smear-marks along
well-used trails in buildings. 3 4
Five toes 2
5
1
Red fox Hind print
Hind print

Brown rat

1 Fox footprints

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