We found this track in the Southern California desert near San Diego. It's not a deer, because we see deer tracks all the time. I am hoping the picture is clear enough for someone to identify what animal made it. Thanks!
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k83/JennyCrackCorn/track2.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k83/JennyCrackCorn/track1.jpg
2007-11-25 13:07:07 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
It's about 4" in diameter. There aren't any burros in the area and it's not a horseprint (I've seen a lot of those). There are *gulp* mountain lions in the area, I've been told, but I don't want them on MY property! I'm scared.
My own housecat scares me when he gets in a mood. I can't imagine walking along and running into a cat that weighs ten times his size!
2007-11-25 14:10:13 · update #1
Your right, the picture is just not very clear. It looks clearer, believe it or not, as a thumbnail. I don't think I need to resize it, though. There definitely is three, round impressions. It is identical to one we saw months ago that was far more defined (on silt instead of gravely sand) and that one was what you think of as a classic paw print with three circular toe pads. I was hoping maybe it was a possum or a raccoon or something but I think I was in denial. I do see how it would look like a horse or burro from this photo though. We saw some really defined deer prints in this same area. I will have to get a better camera for these hikes!
Thanks for your help.
2007-11-25 15:15:23 · update #2
I cannot tell size from your photo..but the first photo justs looks like a horse print to me. The 2nd photo is not as good. If not large enough to be a horse..what about a pony, burro, etc.
Edit: Guess your photo does not show definition..all I can see is a horsehoe shape..can't make out toe prints or lobes or anything. Does it have toe print and does the pad have 3 lobes? 3 lobes is mountain lion, 2 lobes is coyote, and on coyotes or dogs you can usually see the the imprint of the claws whereas you cannot see this with a cat print. Mountain lions do disperse in the winter.. so one could be passing through on it's way to establish it's own territory, although like I said..I just CANNOT see anything indicating a cat.
2007-11-25 13:57:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I could see only one of the photos, and the track was not very clear. However I saw no signs of claw marks so it is definitely not a dog or coyote. I'd say it is cat track, probably a bobcat or a large feral cat, but possibly a mountain lion. Doc
2016-05-25 23:02:36 · answer #2 · answered by mina 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bird Girl is right. This is a Perissodactyla representative hoof. A horse, or similar animal. It is certainly not a cat.
You can definitely make out the imprint of the " frog " in the middle of the hoof.
Put " cat tracks " into your address bar and you will see that the toes are defined in the track.
2007-11-25 14:27:47 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
All there any wild burros in that area? That's the first thing to come to mind when I looked at your photos.
2007-11-25 13:16:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm also having trouble with those prints. Check out "a field guide to animal tracks" at your local library.
2007-11-25 14:42:18 · answer #5 · answered by paul 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It really doesn't look like a pawprint...looks like something more horse/deer related. Moose, maybe? Definitely not mountain lion, but i'd be careful anyway.
God bless!
2007-11-25 14:20:06 · answer #6 · answered by Kiwi 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Looks like a cat print.
2007-11-25 13:11:06 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋