Mammals can be tricky to spot – learn how to make a footprint tunnel to see who visits your garden.
A great activity donated to us by the Mammal Society.
If you haven't got a wildlife camera you could try this activity to see who visits your garden.
Main image credit: Wild South c/o Mammal Society.
Mammal Society
Consider the environmental impact of preparing, carrying out & completing this activity. Could this impact be reduced? Specific considerations for this activity could include:
Follow your usual operating procedures and carry out appropriate risk benefit assessments.
Some considerations particular to this activity include:
Use the plastic to make a triangular tunnel with sides roughly 23cm in length. The tunnel needs to be 90cm long to hold 2 x A4 sheets, plus space for 'ink' and food.
Secure the A4 sheets to the base of the tunnel at each end using paper fasteners.
Put the tray filled with bait (pet food) in the centre of the tunnel.
Completely cover the spaces between the paper and the bait tray with masking tape strips all the way across.
In a bowl, combine one-part veg oil and one-part carbon powder then mix well. This is your 'ink'. Paint the ink liberally onto the masking tape.
Ground up wood charcoal would work but it’s not that healthy for ingestion by animals cleaning their feet. Children's poster paint powder is OK as it’s non-toxic.
Place the tunnel in a sheltered area of your garden and check the paper for mammal footprints each day.
If you are lucky enough to see some footprints you can have a guess at what creature left the prints, then use an ID guide to see if your guess was correct!
Look at the Mammal Society's Mammal Feet, Toes & Tracks flipbook. Link below:
Top Tip: Place the tunnel close to undergrowth like brambles not in an open space.
The school identified the prints as:
Amazing! Thanks for sharing!
This British mammals tracks and signs field guide would be perfect for early childhood settings and schools. Fold-out charts, designed to help users identify of a wide range of plants and animals and support outdoor learning.
This is a set of 8 animals and their footprints - 16 discs in total. The set also includes an identification card to help you match the correct footprints to the animal, some string to hang them up and a cloth ...
Disclaimer: Muddy Faces cannot take any responsibility for accidents or damage that occurs as a result of following this activity.You are responsible for making sure the activity is conducted safely.
