Who made this print in the wet sand at Phinda Private Game Reserve in KZN?
That’s what the Head Ranger at Forest Lodge asked me after he heard I had been to more than 200 safari lodges? He reckoned I must have been on enough game drives to be able to identify any spoor (spoor means a track, trail, scent or droppings, especially of a wild animal).
I actually surprised myself, the ranger, the tracker and my man at correctly identifying almost anything they threw at me – then they got nasty (see the second pic)!
So, to identify this print you have to look very closely and notice the claw marks – do you see the little dots above the pads?
That’s the clue – it’s a cat who keeps its claws out permanently rather than retracting them like other cats, because it needs traction when it runs (fast)! Got it now? Scroll to the bottom to see if you are right!
Ok, now for a really difficult one – I didn’t get it! See if you can work it out……. this print was close to water. The animal has little legs which splay outwards and lots of little claws. It really baffled me but as soon as I was told, it was obvious of course! Got it? Yes? No? Scroll down.
Answers: Top pic is a Cheetah, Bottom pic is a Terrapin!
I will add more footprint conundrums soon.