I have a natural desert dirt driveway. Most neighbors have opted for fancy rock, but I like the natural substrate. I have holes dug by round-tailed squirrels and tarantulas. (You can read about the squirrels digging holes in my book, Squirrels of the Sonoran Desert). I love the footprints the most. I see where birds have scurried about, from Gambel’s quail to roadrunners. Javelina leave their tracks along with their odor. There are canine and feline tracks. I have regular visits from coyotes and bobcats. But now and then, a track really piques my interest. The other morning, I noticed some huge prints as I took my dog out for his walk. I wasn’t sure what had left the surprisingly deep marks in the sand. I photographed them using my shoe as a size comparison. I wear a size 6 (a friend complained I have small feet). So, these prints are at least 2 x 2 inches.
The Paw Patrol
What creature paused to stand on my driveway? Front feet together, stopped to survey the area beyond my property. Or had this animal stopped to survey my house and my property… these prints are more significant than the usual coyote and bobcat prints. So, I did what all researchers want to do, I asked my friends on Facebook.
The responses included the same species as I was thinking of, except for one. Several people suggested that a bear might have made the prints! I didn’t see any hindfoot prints resembling human feet to indicate a bear, though—probably not a bear.
That leaves canines (coyotes and wolves) or felines (bobcats or mountain lions). The lack of claw marks adds to the mystery. Since cats can retract their claws, is that an indication it’s a type of feline? Or is the sand too loose for canine claw marks to be seen?
Information online says dog tracks are longer than wide, while cat tracks seem wider than long. Are these tracks more like a cat?
However, I’m told an “X” can be drawn between the front and side toes without crossing the heel pad of canines. I could undoubtedly draw an “X” on this image—one point for coyote.
Looking at the paw prints, I can imagine a large coyote standing there, with front feet beside each other, looking down the road. Some people thought they might be big enough to be a wolf.
However, there are not any claw marks that would be expected with a canine track. Of course, the claw imprints could be hidden by the loose substrate. But with the lack of claws, this was most likely a feline. I don’t know of any really big feral domesticated cats in the area, so this was probably one of the native felines.
I know I have a pair of bobcats who live on my land. I have a considerable mesquite tree beside my driveway. It’s big enough for a tree house and a platform. So, I’m guessing this is one of my very large bobcat parents. Each fall, they bring their kitten into my backyard to introduce us. The kittens are adorable, and the parents are quite large. Now and then, I find a bobcat hiding or relaxing underneath the bushes in my yard.
However, looking at the size of the paw print, some of my friends think it is too small for a bobcat. After all, the paw print is half the size of my shoe.
After looking at a paw print poster at a state park, I noticed that the size makes it look like it is a bit larger than my neighborhood bobcat. It might be big enough to be a mountain lion. We have them in Oro Valley, but I haven’t heard of any in my area. That doesn’t mean they aren’t here, just that they haven’t been seen. Being reclusive, this isn’t a surprise.
My best guess is that the paw prints were made by one of this kitten’s parent, maybe the father—a very large bobcat (Lynx rufus).
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