Often it is difficult to see most animals in the wild. They are usually under cover, especially in the daytime, so not many are likely to be seen in open fields at that time.

However there are many clues just waiting to be discovered by the observant wildlife enthusiast that can be used to discover what wildlife has been in that area. I will explain several techniques in this article.

Footprints Perhaps the most common way of discovering which animal has been in the area is through their footprints. These are especially easy to spot in wet weather or snow, but can often be seen even in the dry months. A good place to start looking for animal footprints is the mud patch that often appears next to gates in fields. Below are a few of the more common footprints you might see on your travels.

Fox Track Foxes tracks have four toes, with the two front toes close together. The foxes tracks are narrow compared to dogs. The trail a fox leaves will also usually be in a single line as foxes put their hind feet into the prints of the front feet.

Dog Tracks Dog tracks are broader than the foxes relative to their size, and often their front toes are separated in contrast to the foxes. Dog trails are not usually in a single line like the fox as the dogs hind feet do not tread in the same place as the front.

Deer Tracks Deer tracks are often mistaken for sheep's. They are made up of two thin vaguely oval-shaped parts, which are the two sections of the hoof. With a deer footprint, both halves are the same size and more widely separated than the sheep's.

Sheep Tracks The sheep's tracks are similar to the deer's, but one half of the hoof is larger than the other.

Badger Tracks Badgers have different footprints for their front and hind legs, and can often be mistaken for two different animals. The badger has five toes, of which the front feet's toes are longer than the hind. A badger walks with its feet angled inwards and the hind prints can overlap the front prints.

Recognising hairs Often when animals try to get under or through fences - especially barbed wire - they will leave a few hairs caught behind on the fence. Identifying the animal from these hairs can be surprisingly easy and useful. You can also use clues such as where the hair is on the fence to work out which animal might have left it behind. If the hair is caught on the top of the fence for example, it is more likely to be a larger animal.

Cow and horse hairs Cow hairs are relatively short, and are also soft and matted if in a clump. Horse hairs are often much longer as they are likely to catch mane or tail hairs. They are both more often to be found on the top of fences where they might rub themselves on the fence.

Badger, fox and rabbit hairs Badger hairs are long, but also wiry and often stiff compared to other hairs. They are typically 0.5-0.75 cm long. Foxes hairs on the other hand are shorter, only about 0.25cm long. They are of course a distinctive red colour. Rabbit hairs are most likely to be found on the bottom of fences and are very short and soft.

Gaining more information from tracks

Tracks aren't just useful for identifying the animal that made them, they can also tell their own stories. For example, you can tell how fast an animal is moving by how far apart the footprints are spread. A slowly hopping rabbit leaves footprints that are close together, while a faster hopping rabbit has much bigger spaces between footprints. The distance between prints can also be used to work out the size of the animal, and hence give you clues as to what type it might be.

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