Tom Cunningham, from Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve is urging walkers to make use of the current snowy ground to become wildlife dectectives. The SNH reserve manager said, “Recently we suggested that as well as looking around and in the trees when you are out for a walk, it is worthwhile checking the snow or muddy ground for footprints. These can reveal a lot about who’s been passing by, where they stopped, what they did and even how long ago.
“This photo, taken at the end of December, at Tentsmuir shows just how revealing this can be. It shows where a badger has stopped and shaken its coat to remove soil which had got into the coat while it was underground in the sett.
“Badgers don’t hibernate and winter can be a time to glimpse them as there no leaves or undergrowth to hide them.” Unusual wildlife sightings can be posted on the Walkhighlands forum where you also might be able to help solve mysteries posted by other users who can’t identify the creature or footprint in the photo.