Tracks
Being realistic, the simplest way to approach the identification of tracks in the tunnels was to look at the list of small mammals that had been seen at Cowbar and work from there. Perhaps polecat prints couldn’t be ruled out entirely but they weren’t top of the ‘usual suspects’ list.
Hedgehog
Several residents have seen hedgehogs over the years so when we found little hand-shaped prints in tunnels, it seemed likely that’s what they would be.
Hedgehogs have five toes on their front and back feet but in many instances only four toes show on the tracking paper. They have claws which enable them to dig, run and climb but the claws do not always leave marks.
As a rough guide, an adult hedgehog print is about the size of a fifty pence piece. Juvenile hedgehogs have also explored our tunnels leaving much smaller prints.
You can find out more about hedgehogs on the species information page here and watch hedgehog videos here