Download - Lect 6 scats and tracks, walk debrief 2013
OEEDU5003 Connecting with Nature
Week sixTracks, scats and reviewing the walk.
Tracks, Scats & other Signs
TRACKS
• What are the best surface types to find tracks? – Snow, mud, sand, creek banks, road side dust,
dried puddles, beaches• When is the best time to observe tracks ?
– In the morning, can estimate age of track by amount of weathering
• What does size of track show? – Juvenile/adult, male/female?
• What are the different structures of feet? – Toes, claws, number of pads, arrangement, amount
of foot on ground, shape of print• Sand boxes
Gaits
• What gaits do Australian species use?– Hop, bound, run, jump, waddle, crawl, slide
or creep
• What does stride length show?• Gaits of introduced species?
– Walk, trot, gallop
• Using Triggs book, have a go at ID’ing A to G, pp. 8-9
• Check your answers!
Who did these??
Scats: Carnivore
• Characteristics?
• Cylindrical (sausage) shape, fragments of bone, twist of hair at one end of scat
• May have white chalky substance on outer layer (from bones)
• Strong odour
• Variations in scats: diet, seasonal change, age
• Territorial markers
Scats: herbivores
• Lots of herbivores!• Look at the size of the poo.• What’s in it? Marsupials extract moisture – dry
grass in poo.• Consider main diet – Koala (leaves).• Consider place – Wombats wipe their bum!• Kangaroos and Wallabies groom – so can have
hair mixed in.• Koala rarely and Wombats never groom.
SCATS
• Why is scat ID important?• Identify species of animals in area (many
nocturnal animals)– Also what eaten & when
• Guide to animal size, weight, age• Herbivores – general characteristics?• dark brown, black, dark green
– Fibrous plant material– Large quantities– Weathered: lighter color– Usually groups of pellets
OTHER TRACES?
• Shelters: open grassland, hollows in trees, under logs, burrows, tunnels, grassy nests, caves, forks of trees (coppice), house cavities
• Claw marks, diggings• Landing places• Paths• Bones (anatomy similar)
• Effect on vegetation
Borhoneyghurk Common
A transformed landscape
Understanding landscape controls
• Rocks own the site (largely determine what can occur. Soil over time?)
• Climate manages the site (water critical element in SE Aust. Creates and limits possibilities)
• Biota occupy the site (subject to rock and climate influences)
• Aspect imposes site restrictions (north sloping vs south sloping)
• Humans???
Reflect on the trip (pairs)
• What aspects of this trip were useful in developing connections?– Contrast with a canoe or climbing trip?– What is the role of knowledge? Eg, flora,
history.– Role of experiential elements? Walking,
looking, camping?
• What made sense and worked best for you?
Assessment items - progress?
• The Nature Diary (3 visits minimum) – Place?– Visits to date?– Frame of reference?– Reflections on connection to place?
• Final due date and presentation summary October 17th.
Assessment items - progress?
• Assessment 2– What are you planning on doing?– Need to see me about trips now, so you can
start planning– Do you need time in class to present?