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Tracking Gaits

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Photo 2: The muskrat’s larger hind feet land on top of the fronts in their walking gait.

Photo 2: The muskrat’s larger hind feet land on top of the fronts in their walking gait.

Photo 5: The river otter’s classic lope gait.

Photo 5: The river otter’s classic lope gait. JULIE ZALESAK

Photo 1: The raccoon’s walking gait showing the “alternating diagonals” along the edge of each pair of prints.

Photo 1: The raccoon’s walking gait showing the “alternating diagonals” along the edge of each pair of prints. MIKE BOTTINI

Photo 4: This 20 inch-wide track has five claw marks arranged parallel to the direction of travel: seal.

Photo 4: This 20 inch-wide track has five claw marks arranged parallel to the direction of travel: seal. MIKE BOTTINI

Photo 3: In the snapping turtle’s walking gait, the round rear feet land behind the oval fronts.

Photo 3: In the snapping turtle’s walking gait, the round rear feet land behind the oval fronts. MATT KAELIN

authorMike Bottini on May 31, 2021
Over the wet weekend I received a photo of tracks in beach sand taken earlier this spring on the bayside of Fire Island (photo 2), with the question: “Could these... more

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