What does groundhog feces look like

Sometimes wildlife is hard to spot, especially if it's nocturnal. But the signs that animals frequent an area can be a good start to discovering all kinds of species, from rare otters to common rabbits. In fact, ecologists rely on animal signs to help them understand the numbers, behaviours and movements of species. Such animal signs include calls, burrows, tracks, leftover meals, territorial markings, fur and droppings. So, poo can be very useful indeed!

But never touch it — it can contain harmful bacteria! Here are some common British mammal droppings you might come across, as well as some tips of what to look or smell! You can click on the images to view them in more detail. Droppings are left in clusters of little, round, hard balls. They are usually yellowy-brown or green in colour, and full of grass. Hare droppings on the right tend to be slightly bigger and flatter than rabbit droppings left hand side.

Foxes produce dog-like droppings that are usually pointy at one end and full of fur, feathers, tiny bones, seeds and berries. In rural areas, fox poo is quite dark, but in urban areas, where foxes eat human food waste, it can be lighter. Badger droppings have a sweet, musky smell. Because deer ruminate regurgitate and chew their food twice before digesting it , there are no obvious contents in their droppings. They produce smooth, shiny, dark pellets that are pointy at one end and often stuck together in clusters.

Both these mammals are found in similar wetland habitats. Otter spraints are usually dark greenish, slimy and full of fish bones, scales and crayfish parts. Fresh otter poo smells like jasmine tea, while mink poo has a much less pleasant odour. Those that find burrows and waste in their yards may have in festations of other pests. Skunks, badgers, and prairie dogs dig similar-sized holes and often leave their feces aboveground.

Although most homeowners will not have to deal with the pests' droppings, woodchucks infected with rabies behave erratically and could leave waste in yards. However, because rabies can only be transmitted through saliva or nervous system tissue, contact with the pests' feces cannot pass the disease to humans. Residents with infestations of groundhogs or other burrowing animals should contact local pest control specialists for safe and efficient removal, especially if they suspect the pests are rabid.

Critter Control Near You. In fact, their burrows are quite extensive and groundhogs have been known to tunnel as far as three or four feet deep. Groundhogs are herbivores but will munch on anything plant-based from grass to tree bark.

They are also one of the few mammals that truly hibernates, MacGowan added, sleeping for several months and significantly lowering their body temperature.