How do wild animals navigate deep snow?
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
*mefishwildlife.com*
Navigating deep snow is a great feat that requires great feet!
A white snowshoe hare in mid-hop on top of snow.
By snowmobile, snowshoes, sled, skis, skates, and dog team, Maine's outdoor enthusiasts have found a myriad of fun ways to get from point A to point B in winter. While we rely on well-engineered machines and specialty gear to get around in deep powder and slippery ice, Maine's wildlife have adapted to have everything they need to navigate winter built right in!
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A Canada lynx spreading out their toes to stand on the surface of deep snow.
Canada lynx, just like their primary prey, the snowshoe hare, practically float across the surface of deep snow thanks to their huge fluffy feet. The tracks they leave behind are significantly larger than those of their bobcat cousins, measuring up to four or five inches wide. Winter track surveys have been an important tool used by biologists to monitor Maine's lynx population.
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A ruffed grouse marching across the surface of the snow
Ruffed grouse take a seasonal approach to winter footwear, growing comb-like projections of cartilage along the edges of each toe. Function and fashion! Just like the giant furry feet of lynx, these projections, called pectinations, work like snowshoes by increasing the surface area of each toe. The look is completed with feathered leg warmers.
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A moose with snow on its nose standing in deep snow almost up to her belly.
Too heavy for surface walking, moose use their huge hooves, long legs and robust build to power through the snow like a plow. They stand up to seven feet tall, and much of that height is their lanky legs. Their height is perfect for navigating through deep snow, but those longs legs are equally as useful in the summer months when wading in ponds to forage on aquatic plants.
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A river otter running at the water's edge in winter about to slide on the snow.
With webbed feet built for swimming, river otters move with ease on the snow, but why bother when you have a furry toboggan for a belly? They slide on the snow to leave scent marks, to get around, and just for fun! Looking for otter tracks? Keep an eye out for 10-20 foot long slides punctuated by footprints where they push off to continue the ride.
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The face of a white weasel poking out from a small hole in the snow.
Though light enough to float on top, small rodents like voles tunnel through and underneath the snow to stay out of view from predators. That doesn’t stop ermines! They are slender and agile enough to actively hunt in their prey’s tunnels. The unique habitat between the ground and the base of the snow is referred to as the subnivean zone, and supports a wide variety of life in winter.
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A line of deer following each other's steps through the snow.
Deer, less mobile in deep snow than moose, often follow in each other’s hoof-steps for easier walking. They seek out wintering areas with more cover and less snow depth. Deer wintering areas are a critical habitat for white-tailed deer living at the northern end of their range. Proceeds from antlerless deer permits help fund the acquisition and management of deer wintering areas, primarily in northern Maine.
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More information
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