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Archive for January 3, 2012

Red Squirrel Tracks

This is the common bounding pattern of a red squirrel in snow.  When it bounds, or hops, its smaller front feet land first, and then the larger hind feet pass to the outside and around the front feet to land in front of them.  In this photograph the squirrel is headed towards the top of the photograph .  There are many exceptions to the rule, but often bounding animals that are tree climbers, such as squirrels, often place their front feet more or less side by side, whereas animals such as rabbits and hares, which do not climb trees, often place their front feet diagonally, one in front of the other.