Our ancestors understood nature and could read it. Learn it too and find out from the tracks what animals are moving in your garden. This will prevent unnecessary damage!
Nature is diverse. And if you have a garden near fields, forests and meadows, then it is quite possible that you can expect interesting guests. “Birds, hedgehogs, cats, dogs, mice, squirrels, foxes, martens and weasels are among the biggest regulars of Czech gardens,” says the biologist, adding that you can recognize the effects of individual animal species on your property by droppings, bitten twigs, food remains (eg eggshells, dead birds or nuts). Traces are also important evidential material, which when you untangle them, you will be clear about your “garden guests”…
Footprints as evidence…
To identify tracks, it is best to have a mobile phone with you, where you can document not only the footprint of the animal, but also any other clues such as droppings. There are various mobile applications such as Animal Track Identifier, iNaturalist, Viltappen, where you only need to take a picture of the track from above (preferably by placing an object that reveals its size, such as a coin or a key) and the smartphone will already find your animal guest. You can even estimate some tracks yourself, just by eye. And here’s the trick on how to do it…
Cat, dog and fox
Three animals, three tracks… Even if their similarities might confuse you a little. So how do you distinguish the owner? “A cat has four toes and a generally smaller, rounder footprint with a “heel pad that has this three-pointed shape. The claws on the footprint are not visible,” says Mr. Václav, who maps life in his garden year-round. A dog’s footprint is somewhat more pronounced, which is wider, four-toed and usually has a claw print. When you focus on the individual “pins” they never line up and look a bit scattered. And the fox? You can recognize this beauty of the forest thanks to the elegant narrow “four-toed” track, which connects beautifully to each other. As if its owner were walking on a fashion catwalk.
Hedgehog, voles and hare
Speaking of which, the hedgehog’s walk is rather wobbly and sloppy. Therefore, hedgehog tracks appear as one big blurred line with several fingers. The dung, which is in the form of small black rollers, usually serves as proof of the hedgehog’s identity. A mouse trail is just as chaotic. “These are tiny dabs that are scattered with a long tail. That’s why you can best identify a mouse by the holes in the ground. The hare, unlike the previous “smurfs”, is a jumper by nature, which you can tell by the spacing between the individual tracks. Generally, a hare track has two larger prints at the front and two smaller ones at the back.
Roe and mink
If a doe has entered your property, you can tell by the pointed hoof prints, which are shaped like an upside-down heart. The tracks of the doe are in one row and follow each other nicely… The marten doesn’t like to walk and prefers to jump. That’s why her footprints are five-toed and close together. The distinguishing sign of this rebel is her dung, which is elongated, dark and twisted into an “esic”. The marten leaves it wherever it wants…
(Un)invited guests
In fact, none of these animals pose a direct threat to you, but they can cause damage to your garden. In the case of roe deer, there is a risk of nibbling on trees and bushes (especially the pink ones). A hare has a similar appetite… A marten brings a worse situation, which not only makes noise at night, but can also do serious damage to your house or chicken coop. The marten is known to kill poultry, damage cars, house insulation…
How to protect the garden
In winter, it is difficult for animals to find food, so they take what they can find. If you don’t want to have a lunar landscape from your garden in the spring, try to protect the trees with plastic or metal protectors. Also focus on bird feeders, which should never be low enough to attract more pests. Flashing LED lights, a radio (in the shed) or other sound scares can also help.
