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MAMMAL
TRACKS &
SIGNS
Please refer to
The Walking Trails of Glendalough leaflet for a full
trail description
Wicklow Mountains National Park is managed by the National Parks & Wildlife Service (part of the Department of the
Environment, Heritage & Local Government).
www.wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie
www.npws.ie
Education Centre
National Parks & Wildlife Service, Wicklow
Mountains National Park, Kilafin, Laragh, Co.
Wicklow.
Tel: 0404 45656
Fax: 0404 45710
Email:
the upper lake, you’ll find pine cones(8)
on the path that have been gnawed and
stripped by red squirrels, who eat the pine seeds in the cones. Squirrels’ front teeth are
always growing so they keep gnawing things to
wear them down.
When you reach the Miners’ Village, look up
at the rocky slopes above for herds of feral
goats(7). These are descended from farm
goats who escaped and now live in the wild.
They have flexible hoof pads that grip the
rocks so they climb easily and fearlessly.
Returning to the Information Office, look for
bat droppings below the lake side
windows(9). During the summer, the attic
is home to a large maternity roost of
pipistrelle bats(10).
Want to discover more about mammals?
Please see Mammals of the Wicklow
Mountains National Park leaflet (50 cents).
Mammal Tracks & Signs
This 5km walk starts and finishes at the
Information Office and follows the Miners’
Road Walk. This route is waymarked with
purple arrows, is graded ‘easy’ & takes about
1 hour.
You won’t see our mammals as often or as
easily as our birds. They are shy and mostly
come out at night or when we are not
around. So we look for the tracks and signs
they leave behind.
Start at the abandoned badger sett(1)
opposite the Information office and to the
right of the small car park. The badgers(2)
left long ago so it is OK to approach. A ‘live’
sett with badgers in should never be
disturbed. Look under the multi-stemmed
hazel trees(3) for hazelnuts that have big
holes gnawed in them by woodmice(4), or
that have been cracked in half by red
squirrels(5). Can you tell which ate the
nuts you find?
When crossing the lawns look for the foot
prints and droppings left by the deer(6)
and goats(7). They have small cloven
hooves and leave heart-shaped prints. The
droppings are small and dark and full of
digested grass. Break one open with a stick
to see inside. You might also find clumps of
grey or brown hair from the deer left lying
around.
On the Miners’ Road (purple arrows) beside
Wicklow Mountains National Park
Purple
Walking
Trail
Legend
P
i
E
Car Park
Wicklow
Mountains
National Park
Information
Office
Education Centre
Purple Route 500 metres
N
E
1,2,3,
4,5 & 9
6,7
8 7
5
6 Stag 6 Hind 7 8 5
1 2 3
4 4
9 10