Trails and Runs
Norway rat
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Norway rat trail, preferably from the bush.
Norway rats form trails linking burrows and feeding sites and these may become well worn and obvious if used frequently.
Can be confused with:
Many animals make trails, and the trail should be examined closely for footprints, hair or droppings to help identify what species is using it.
Possum
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A possum run coming out of the forest into pasture.
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Possum run (trail) on pasture.
Possum trails (called pads or runs) are seen most often on the forest edge near pasture, made when possums come out from the forest at night to eat pasture species and crops. Possum runs can also be found inside a forest, especially near denning sites, if there are lots of possums.
Can be confused with:
Many animals will create trails to get from one place to another. You may need to check for footprints to see who is using the track. Runs from forest into grassland are most often made by possums but also by hares, and wallabies where these occur. Tracks up and down spurs are often made by ungulate species such as deer and goat.
Read more about this speciesRabbit (European)
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A rabbit trail across pasture.
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Rabbit hole beside a fence: aiming for greener grass on the other side.
Rabbit trails are also called runs. They can be little more than a narrow path of flattened grass across open areas and will often lead to places where there is cover, such as tall grass or scrub, where an animal can hide. Low tunnels may be formed through vegetation, such as tall grass.
Read more about this speciesBrown hare
Like many other species, hares tend to use the same paths or ‘runs’ frequently and in deep grass these may look like 100-200 mm-wide depressions. These runs often follow ridges or routes up and down slopes. In alpine and sub-alpine areas, favourite runs can become snow tunnels in winter.
Can be confused with:
Hare runs could be confused with those made by rabbits and possums. Pigs, goats, sheep, deer, chamois, tahr and wallabies also create game trails but these trails will probably be wider and with vegetation browsed or broken at greater heights to accommodate these larger animals. To confirm the species using the run look for other evidence, such as footprints, droppings or fur.
Read more about this speciesDama wallaby
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Photo of dama wallaby run
Dama wallabies tend to move between feeding areas (pasture and forest clearings or edge) and areas of denser cover on a daily basis. Consequently they create obvious ‘pad runs’ that are narrow, well-formed tracks leading between these areas. These are usually most obvious where wallabies push through or under fences along forest/pasture boundaries.
Can be confused with:
Dama wallaby trails in forest and pasture could be confused with trails created by possums or livestock, deer, pigs and feral goats. In some areas it is likely that trails are created by multiple species using them.
Read more about this speciesBennett's (red-necked) wallaby
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Bennett's wallaby trail.
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Bennett's wallaby trail.
Bennett’s wallabies create well defined trails from shrubland and scrub areas to open pasture grassland. They move along these trails during the late afternoon or dusk and back again at dawn. Trails are often formed from dens repeatedly used in daytime.
Can be confused with:
In the area where Bennett’s wallabies occur, similar trails from forest into grassland are made by possums and hares, and tracks up and down spurs are made by ungulate species such as deer and goat. Check for distinguishing footprints.
Read more about this speciesChamois
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Chamois trail across a slope.
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A chamois on scree, Arthur’s Pass.
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Chamois in snow.
Chamois can make extensive and well formed tracks in screes, snow and through subalpine shrubland. Horizontal trails across alpine faces may be obvious for several hundred metres and are a means of traversing rugged terrain. Chamois trails are also commonly found ascending and descending ridges and spurs.
Can be confused with:
Chamois trails could be confused with trails made by red deer but it is uncommon for red deer to create well formed trails in high alpine areas. Goats can also occasionally leave trails in alpine areas. At a distance, trails in snow could be confused with those made by people but hoof prints will confirm the culprit.
Read more about this speciesHimalayan Tahr (thar)
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Photos of Himalayan tahr trail needed, preferably across scree and/or through rock bluff system
Himalayan tahr create obvious trails around rock bluffs and through alpine shrublands and scree. Daily movement of tahr tends to be altitudinal; they usually descend to feeding areas and return to higher areas to rest. However, whilst feeding they move horizontally across slopes and thus trails can be seen at all angles across mountain faces. Tahr are the most likely species to create trails in New Zealand’s high alpine areas.
Can be confused with:
Trails created by Himalayan tahr could be confused with trails or tracks created by chamois, red deer and domestic sheep, or in some instances by people. A trail could also be used by multiple species, so other evidence such as footprints or droppings will be needed to confirm the culprit.
Fallow deer
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Fallow deer trail.
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Fallow deer play ring.
Fallow deer repeatedly use the same tracks and trails through the forest and these can become well worn. If trails are recently used, fresh droppings and hoof-prints will be seen along them. Fallow deer are also known to create ‘play rings’ during the breeding ‘rutting’ season. These are well worn rings with a 2–3m diameter around a tree or stump. These are created by more than one deer, probably when a stag has enticed several females into a harem.
Can be confused with:
Fallow deer trails can be confused with the trails of other deer in areas where there are more than one deer species, as well as with the game trails created by other species such as pigs, goats, sheep and wallabies where these occur.
Sika deer
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Sika deer trail
Sika deer repeatedly use the same tracks and trails through the forest for travelling and feeding and these can become well worn. If trails are recently used, fresh droppings and vegetation browse will be seen along them.
Can be confused with:
Sika deer trails can be confused with the trails of other deer species and pigs in areas where their ranges overlap. They may also be confused with wallaby trails. The height of vegetation clearance can indicate which species use the trail.
Rusa (Javan) deer
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Rusa deer trail
Rusa deer are sedentary by nature, and make networks of regularly used trails connecting feeding and resting areas. These trails can become well worn. If trails are recently used, fresh droppings will be seen along them.
Can be confused with:
Rusa deer trails can be confused with the trails of other deer species in areas where their ranges overlap.
White-tailed deer
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White-tailed deer trail
White-tailed deer repeatedly use the same tracks and trails through the forest and these can become well worn. If trails are recently used, fresh droppings and hoof-prints will be seen along them.
Can be confused with:
White-tailed deer trails can be confused with red deer and fallow deer trails where these species have overlapping distributions.
Sambar deer
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Sambar deer trail needed
Sambar deer create networks of trails in thick cover throughout the areas in which they live. They also make use of cattle trails (in scrubby country) and timber extraction drag trails.
Can be confused with:
Sambar deer trails can be confused with the trails of other deer species and pigs in areas where their ranges overlap. Wallabies can also make trails. The height of vegetation clearance can indicate which species use the trail. Sambar deer are one of the taller trail-making species.
Red deer
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A red deer trail.
Red deer repeatedly use the same tracks and trails through the forest and these can become well worn. If trails are recently used, fresh droppings will be seen along them. Because red deer are good route finders and are large animals, off-track trampers commonly find themselves following deer trails. In fact, many established tramping tracks, particularly in areas like Fiordland, were based on established deer trails, as the deer had already worked out the best way through rugged gorges and steep terrain. Red deer are one of the taller deer species, so their trails may be clear of vegetation nearly to human head height.
Can be confused with:
Red deer trails can be confused with the trails of other deer species and pigs where they occur together. Wallabies can also make trails. The height of vegetation clearance can indicate which species use the trail.
Wapiti
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Photos needed of a typical wapiti trail coming out of the forest to open space.
Like other deer, wapiti repeatedly use the same tracks and trails through the forest and up and down bluffs, so these routes can become well worn. If trails are recently used, fresh droppings will be seen along them and you may find hoof prints in damp soil. Some of the established tramping tracks in Fiordland are based on established deer trails, as the deer had already worked out the best way through rugged gorges and steep terrain. When tramping off-track you may also find yourself following deer trails. Wapiti are a tall species, so their trails may be relatively large and clear of vegetation compared with smaller ungulate species.
Can be confused with:
Wapiti trails can be confused with the trails of other deer species, especially those of red deer.
Read more about this speciesPig
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Feral pig trail.
Feral pigs can create distinctive trails by trampling through vegetation. Soil can be eroded from the exposed and compacted ground along these routes.
Can be confused with:
Other ungulate (hooved animals), including farm animals such as cattle, can also create trails although feral pig trails are likely to be associated with areas disturbed by their characteristic rooting.
Read more about this speciesCat
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Cat trail.
Cats will often make extensive use of tracks or open ‘lanes’ if they are available, rather than push through vegetation.
Read more about this speciesWeasel
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Weasel trail.
Weasels probably have routes they use regularly, but their tracks and runs are not distinguishable to humans.
Read more about this speciesStoat
Although stoats probably have routes they often use, their tracks and runs are not distinguishable to humans.
Read more about this speciesNot the footprints or tracks you were looking for?
Have a look at all of our tracks.