Top Photo: Raccoon tracks across floating walkway in Explore the Wild.

All it takes is a light dusting of snow and the fun begins, a chance to practice up on your tracking skills. A half inch of snow is all you need. In fact, a half inch is perfect for showing detail in animal tracks.

Both raccoon and gray squirrels are common and very much at home here at the museum and its woods and exhibits. Both animals are well represented here and finding tracks is no problem.

The squirrel tracks pictured here were on the boardwalk (numerous impressions) and the raccoon (a single individual) made its way along the Floating Walkway in the Wetlands (below).

Note that the two sets of squirrel tracks show the larger hind feet placed in front of the smaller, hand-like, front feet when the animal is bounding.

While walking, raccoons show the left rear foot planted next to or close to the right front foot and the right rear planted next to or near the left front foot.

Snow is fleeting here on the Carolina Piedmont. An hour after these early morning images were captured and the light, pristine snow was gone, taking with it the tracks and any sign that the squirrels and raccoon had ever been there. But of course, I know they were.

Ranger Greg