THE NATURAL HABITAT OF ANIMALS

Articles In This Section:

· READING TRACKS

· TALES OF MASTER TRACKERS - Part 1

· TALES OF MASTER TRACKERS - Part 2

· HUMAN TRACKS

· BLAZING YOUR TRAIL

· TRAILING ANIMALS - Part 1

· TRAILING ANIMALS - Part 2

· ANIMAL FOOTPRINTS

· TRACES OF BIRDS

· OTHER MARKS OF ANIMALS AND BIRDS

· THE NATURAL HABITAT OF ANIMALS

· THE DEER

· THE ELK AND MOOSE - Part 1

· THE ELK AND MOOSE - Part 2

· THE FOX

· THE RABBIT

· THE POLECAT

· THE PORCUPINE

· THE BADGER

· THE SQUIRREL

· MAKING PLASTER MOLDS OF TRACKS

If a detective were tracking down a criminal, he would first find out about the man's habits and customs of living so he would have some idea of where to start his search. To track animals, too, you must know about their way of life. It would be most unusual to find a fox in a city park or a badger in the deepest forest, nor would you ever suspect a swamp animal of making tracks in a dry, fallow field. Every animal has its own natural habitat, which of course frequently cuts across those of other animals. In general we have a pretty good idea of where different animals make their homes.

Foxes, rabbits, mice, jays, and birds of prey can be found in or over open countryside.

Deer (up to about 6000 feet), rabbits (mountain hares up to 8000 feet), mice, moles, weasels (up to 8000 feet), and woodchucks can be found in the mountains and hills.

Mice, otters, polecats, mouse-owls, plovers, storks, cranes, wild ducks and geese live near the water.

In the forests and woods you find: Deer, stags, rabbits, squirrels, moles, foxes, badgers, martens, polecats, mice, finches, thrushes, crows, hawks, magpies, pheasants, buzzards, wood-owls, and woodpeckers.

The following live in meadows, fields, and sparsely wooded spots: Rabbits, field mice, hamsters, moles, foxes, weasels, polecats, occasional badgers wandering through, partridges, magpies, buzzards, falcons, crows, mouse-owls, and woodpeckers.