Mountain Lion Tracks

Sequence of mountain lion tracks demonstrating a walking gait, partial claw extension, and a bloody paw. Recorded in Sunshine Canyon on January 23, 2008. See photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/douginboulder/sets/72157603784194769/

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• mountainlion
• tracks
• boulder
• colorado

[DougInBoulder]

Dear snowblindwild, thank you for weighing in with your expert analysis. I was 99% sure they were mtn lion tracks, but you provide some valuable additional insights. Are you in Garfield/Grand County?

[surfingcali69]

Probably just ate some anal idiot hiker from boulder, yeeeeeea

[snowblindwild]

I am an expert and these are obviously mountian lion tracks. Claw marks can show at times but most often do not. - so PwnerSonic is wrong. Claw marks can show when the animal is trying to gain traction. The track is not egg shaped like those of most canines. It is round, clearly a feline.  I am a wildlife biologist and regularly work in mountain lion habitat. I see their tracks on a regular basis. The Grand Hogback in NW Colorado is full of mountain lions. This is where I live and work.

[monkjump]

I'm no expert, but these tracks do look more oval like a canid than round like a felid. The toe pads also look fairly large in relationship to the palm pads for a cougar. I couldn't see the details of the claws, but I believe wolves and coyotes have slightly larger and blunter claws than cougars. Cougars may have slight claw registry in snow. Thanks for the video.

[PwnerSonic]

Cougar tracks don't have claw marks only members of the Canine family like Foxes, Coyotes, & Wolves have claw marks felines like lynx, cougar, and bobcat don't have claw marks in their footprints.

[cdyarbrough]

I think this more looks like a wolf or coyote track to me than a mountain lion, not even a bobcat. Maybe I am not seeing this as he was.