Strange footprints

[walkabout]

Went down the Mersey Valley a couple of days ago and came across these foot prints. Each foot is placed directly in front of the other.
Does anyone know what animal/bird would have made them? They are about 10 inches long and 8 inches across the toes.

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[wayno]

yeah, claims were made about footprints in the snow in the Himalayas being made by a Yeti..
remember the snow melts around the footprint making it into a larger indentation than it originally was. the smoother and more simple the shape the longer its probably been melting and would have originally been smaller.

[neilmny]

Maybe a 3 legged rabbit in a state of arousal????????

[north-north-west]

Small macropod. The two longer parallel tracks being the hind legs and the smaller inline ones, the front. Critter's just ambling along in the snow.

Or it's a dropbear wearing fancy shoes to disguise its prints . . .

[walkabout]

I didn't think of the prints being of all four feet, not just one.

[GPSGuided]

Hard to get a sense of scale, of the 4 pointed prints and the spacing b/n prints.

[MickyB]

Small macropod.

If it was a macropod wouldn't there be foot prints side by side? And perhaps even a tail mark?

[walkabout]

Hard to get a sense of scale, of the 4 pointed prints and the spacing b/n prints

Here's another....

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[vicrev]

Joker tracks.......

[north-north-west]

Small macropod.

If it was a macropod wouldn't there be foot prints side by side? And perhaps even a tail mark?

There are. When they use their front paws there often aren't tail marks - and remember they're not exactly fresh tracks on fresh snow.
Could also be a quoll.

[GBW]

A wunning wabbit. Front legs hit first in a running motion followed by the back two landing together further forward.

[walkabout]

A wunning wabbit. Front legs hit first in a running motion followed by the back two landing together further forward

Brilliant!

[MickyB]

Small macropod.

If it was a macropod wouldn't there be foot prints side by side? And perhaps even a tail mark?

There are. When they use their front paws there often aren't tail marks - and remember they're not exactly fresh tracks on fresh snow.
Could also be a quoll.

OK I agree with you about the tail marks but I can only see one foot print in front of another - not side by side. If I had to guess I would say some type of bird.

It is definatly not a quoll. http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/?base=4807

[GPSGuided]

Given that hand scale, that's pretty big spacing b/n the sets of prints. That small bunny must have been hopping pretty furiously, if it was a rabbit.

Per earlier graphic and this photo, it doesn't look to be the work of a bunny.

[north-north-west]

If it was a macropod wouldn't there be foot prints side by side? And perhaps even a tail mark?

There are. When they use their front paws there often aren't tail marks - and remember they're not exactly fresh tracks on fresh snow.
Could also be a quoll.

OK I agree with you about the tail marks but I can only see one foot print in front of another - not side by side. If I had to guess I would say some type of bird.

It is definatly not a quoll. http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/?base=4807

*sigh*
Each set of four marks is not a single print - it is a set of prints left by a four footed animal. The running rabbit is possible, so is a potoroo or pademelon or something similar. Also remember than the prints have been distorted by the condition of the snow.
As in this photo - the orange circled prints are the large rear feet, and the green ones are the smaller front paws.

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[GPSGuided]

So it is the bunny. That makes more sense. Speedy.

[walkabout]

Per earlier graphic and this photo, it doesn't look to be the work of a bunny.

I think it does

[Travis22]

If you google image rabbit prints in snow you'll see plenty like these. Id say the mistory is solved.

Travis.

[neilmny]

Possibly a hare as they have a different gait that puts the front feet apart.

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[walkabout]

I'm so impressed with this forum - an interesting morning's discussion and a mystery solved!
Thanks everyone

[walkerchris77]

I thought it was a 1 legged bird hoping.