Otter prints?

[vole-woman]

Sorry I couldn't get nearer for scale, but I was hanging over a bridge to take these photos. Do you think they're otter footprints?

[valleyforge]

They don't look typical of otter prints to me v-w, ... but I'm sure you'd be particularly reassured that they don't look like mink tracks either.

Without a clear pad indentation ... or an easy way of determining scale ... I'd be inclined to suggest that they were made by a stoat (unless you have polecats/feral ferrets in your area?).

You are spot on with them being made by a mustelid though.

[Dogghound]

They look like mink tracks to me. Polecat and mink tracks are almost the same although polecats tend to splay the toes alittle more so if it looks like one it could be either. The aquatic location and the fact its a well used path also suggests mink coming and going from the water. I agree not otter prints though.

[vole-woman]

They were way too big for mink - sorry, as I said, the scale's hopeless.

[vole-woman]

I suppose I thought if they weren't otter, they might have been made by a large dog. It's that sort of size.

[Dogghound]

In comparison to the nettles they dont look that big? At the size you suggest it could only be an otter but it doesnt quite look rite. But as Vally forge says its hard to see exact pad detail.

[vole-woman]

Wish I could have got down and had a good poke about! But it's private land.

[vole-woman]

Thanks, anyway!

[jessshakespeare]

Well, just to cause you confusion, they look like otter to me. Definitely not mink, or water vole - too large. And it looks like there is webbing between the toes. Am pretty sure that makes it otter! Whereabouts was it? Are there otter records in the area?

[vole-woman]

Yes, there are. Earlier in the year I found spraint on the other side of the bridge, but that's quite a few months ago now.