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Most mammals leave behind some record of their presence. For help identifying animal tracks in your area, enter a zip code or click on a section of the map below.


Polar Bear
© Stan Osolinski

Identifying Animal Tracks

Animal-tracking is a lot like detective work: you must know where to look and take note of the details. There is no point in searching for tracks on rocks, which are too hard for animal tracks to be preserved, and even in places where tracks are clearly visible, signs such as disturbed leaf litter or scratches on the bark of a tree can be just as useful but easy to overlook.

Once you've found some tracks, whether they're in mud, dust, sand, or snow, try to find the best individual track the animal left behind. Look for both front and hind prints; hind prints are usually smaller. It's a good idea to make a quick sketch of the best tracks, which not only provides a record of them but also focuses your attention on the small details that might otherwise be overlooked.

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PACIFIC_NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA SOUTH WEST ROCKY_MOUNTAIN TEXAS MIDWEST SOUTHEASTERN FLORIDA GREAT_LAKES MID_ATLANTIC NEW_ENGLAND ALASKA ND_331 ND_332 ND_251 MN_211 MN_251 MN_221b SD_251 SD_331 SD_M333 SD_332 NE_251 NE_332 NE_331 IA_221b IA_251 MO_251 MO_R MO_221b KS_332 KS_331 KS_251 OK_314 OK_332 OK_331 OK_313 OK_252 OK_251 OK_221b OK_M222 OK_M222 OK_M231 OK_232 OK_232 WA_M241 WA_241 WA_M331 WA_341 WA_332 WA_M332 OR_M332 OR_341 OR_341 OR_M261 OR_M261 OR_241 0R_M241 0R_M241 CA_341 CA_341 CA_341 CA_341 CA_341 CA_ESbasin CA_ESbasin CA_NECalif CA_Sierras CA_Deserts CA_SCRange CA_CSCoast CA_SCoast CA_CCRange CA_SRange CA_SJValley CA_262_SF CA_BayDelta CA_SacValley CA_NCoast CA_NCRange MT_332 MT_M332 MT_M331 MT_M334 MT_M334 ID_341 ID_341 ID_M334 ID_M334 ID_M332 ID_332 ID_M331 WY_341 WY_332 WY_M333 WY_M334 WY_M334 WY_M334 WY_M334 WY_M334 CO_311 CO_332 CO_332 CO_M334 CO_M334 CO_342 CO_342 CO_341 CO_M341 NV_341 NV_M341 NV_323 NV_342 UT_341 UT_341 UT_M334 UT_M341 UT_M341 UT_M341 UT_311 UT_342 UT_342 UT_342 AZ_323 AZ_321 AZ_311 AZ_M311 AZ_M311 NM_311 NM_311 NM_311 NM_314 NM_332 NM_332 NM_M334 NM_M334 NM_M334 NM_321 NM_321 NM_323 NM_M311 NM_M311 TX_M311 TX_321 TX_332 TX_313 TX_252 TX_232 TX_231 TX_314B TX_314 OH_221a OH_221b IN_221b IN_221b IN_251 IL_221b IL_221b IL_221b IL_251 WI_251 WI_221b WI_211 MI_221b MI_211 KY_M221 KY_M221 KY_221A KY_221B KY_R NC_231 NC_232 NC_M221 TN_M221 TN_221A TN_221B TN_232 TN_R SC_231 SC_232 SC_M221 SC_M221 GA_231 GA_232 GA_M221 GA_221A AL_231 AL_231 AL_232 AL_221B AL_221A MS_231 MS_232 MS_R LA_231 LA_231 LA_R LA_232 LA_232 AR_R AR_R AR_232 AR_232 AR_M231 AR_M222 AR_221B FL_231 FL_411 NY_211 NY_211 NY_211 NY_M211b NY_M211b NY_221a_NYC NY_221a_NYC NY_221a NY_221a NY_221b PA_221a PA_221a PA_211 PA_221b PA_M221 NJ_221a DE_221a DC_232 DC_232 DE_231 MD_M221 MD_232 MD_232 MD_231 MD_221a VA_231 VA_232 VA_221a VA_M221 WV_M221 WV_221a ME_M211b ME_211 ME_221a VT_211 VT_M211b NH_M211b NH_221a NH_221a MA_221a MA_M211b MA_M211b RI_221a CT_M211b CT_M211b CT_221a CT_221a AK_123 AK_123 AK_123 AK_123 AK_M123 AK_M123 AK_M123 AK_M122 AK_M124AK_131 AK_131 AK_131 AK_131 AK_131 AK_M131 AK_M131 AK_M131 AK_M131 AK_M131 AK_M132b AK_M242a AK_M132a AK_M132a AK_M242b
 

 

 

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