Extension for Real Life Blog

How to Identify Eastern Gray Squirrel and Red Fox Tracks

Have you ever been on a walk in the woods, park, or backyard and noticed animal tracks in the mud or dirt? Some tracks are easy to identify, while others are a bit harder to tell which animal they belong to. It’s a fun guessing game trying to figure out which animal has been visiting nearby.

When examining animal tracks, ask yourself a few questions:

• How many toes does the animal have?
• Are there claw marks?
• Is the front or rear foot larger?
• What are the general shapes of the tracks?
• How long and wide are the tracks?

Thinking through these questions will help you be on the right path to discovering the mystery critter.

In a previous blog post, we highlighted what raccoon and opossum tracks look like. Now, let’s learn more about eastern gray squirrel and red fox tracks!

Eastern Gray Squirrel

• It has four toes in the front and five in the rear.
• Hind foot is almost twice as long as it is wide.
• Front tracks are 1.5 inches long. Rear tracks are 1.25–3.25 inches long.
• It can be confused with rabbit tracks.
• Bound stride length is typically 16 inches. It can be as wide as 30 inches.
• Tracks often appear side by side.

Red Fox

• It has four toes per foot.
• The fox walks on all fours.
• Prints are 1.75–2.5 inches long by 1.5–2 inches wide.
• Front tracks are oval shaped. Hind tracks are diamond shaped.
• Its walking pattern is often straight.
• Distance between prints can be anywhere between 8–15 inches.
• Tracks often show hair marks.

Special thanks to our friends at University of Maryland Extension and Maryland Department of Natural Resources for the great resources!

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