What this solves
You found tracks. Or dung. Or a fresh scrape. You want to know what was here. The most common mistake is to call any large round track a "lion paw" β but lion (~10-12cm wide) and leopard (~7-8cm wide) and cheetah (<8mm claws, vs wolf) can be told apart with three inputs: paw size, claw visibility, and pad shape.
This tool takes your measurements and observations and returns a ranked list of likely species with confidence percentages, plus what to look for next.
Spoor identification is a skill, not a quiz. The tool returns the most likely call based on averages; experienced trackers do this by gestalt (track shape, gait, substrate, time-since-rain).
What did you see?
Measure across the widest part of the paw pad; do not include claws (unless claws visible β see next).
Cats (except cheetah) retract claws; cheetah, hyena, wild dog show them.
Most likely predator
How to read the results
- Paw width is the most reliable input. Use a ruler or measure against known objects (a matchbox is 5cm). Round to nearest 0.5cm; >1cm error throws off identification.
- Cheetah is the only big cat with non-retractable claws. If claws show distinctly and the pad is round and ~8-9cm, it's almost certainly cheetah.
- Dung matters a lot. Hyena droppings are white from calcium-rich bones; lion droppings are large with hair and bone fragments; leopard droppings are usually buried (covered) β finding them is itself diagnostic.
- Scrape marks are predator-specific. Lions scrape flat (foreleg pull-back); cheetah scrape shallow with claws visible. Hyena dig at dens.
Limitations
- Paw measurements are averages. A 7cm leopard print is most likely leopard, but a small female leopard can have a 6.5cm print that overlaps with male caracal.
- Substrate changes everything. A 10cm paw in mud might look like 12cm in soft sand. Always measure relative to a known object.
- This tool focuses on large carnivores > 4kg. Caracal, serval, black-backed jackal, bat-eared fox are not modeled in detail.
- Dung identification requires practice. The tool can give a strong hint based on location, but a confirmed call requires visual inspection.
- Tracks degrade quickly in sand/dust; a 12-hour-old lion track can look similar to a fresh cheetah track.
FAQ
What's the most common misidentification?
Calling leopard tracks "lion tracks." A 7cm paw is leopard; a 11cm paw is lion. If you're guessing from a sand-ruler, the difference is striking once you measure carefully. The 4cm gap is the single biggest size clue.
How do I tell cheetah from leopard at a glance?
Cheetah claws show in print (4 distinct points); leopard print. Cheetah pads are round and wide-set; leopard pads are more triangular. Cheetah gait is also distinct β long, economical, loping β versus wolf's stripes β actually no, that's wild dog. Wolves and wild dogs are not the same species; wild dog paw has only 4 toes.
Why are hyena droppings white?
Hyena are bone-crushers. Their digestive system extracts calcium from bones (most carnivores cannot) and excretes the rest as calcium-rich white droppings. A white dropping in the bush is almost certainly hyena.
What about scrape marks specifically?
Lion scrape: backwards foreleg pull, ~30cm wide, often with claw marks. Leopard scrape: smaller, ~15cm wide. Wild dog scrape: shallow, multi-directional (pack behavior). Cheetah scrape: very subtle, often confused with single tracks.
Related tools
Sources
- β’ Stuart, C. & T., "A Field Guide to the Tracks and Signs of Southern and East African Wildlife" β paw widths, dung morphology, scrape patterns.
- β’ Liebenberg, L., "The Art of Tracking: The Origin of Science" β track dimensions and gait analysis.
- β’ Etosha Ecological Institute β published predator track reference set.
- β’ Personal observation logs across 7 Etosha visits (2021-2025) tracking fresh spoor with ranger guides.
About this tool
What it is: a multi-input predator-identification tool combining paw measurements, claw evidence, substrate and additional markers (scrapes, dung, kills).
Who it's for: self-drivers who find tracks and want to know what made them; amateur naturalists building tracking skill; tourists who want to interpret guides' identification calls.
Who it isn't for: anyone wanting a definitive identification without field practice; forensic-level or research use (this tool uses averages, not reference-grade identification keys).
Limitations: covered above. Tracking is a skill; this tool gives you the most likely call but cannot substitute for practice.
Privacy Policy
Effective 7 October 2026. This page runs no backend. Your inputs (paw size, claws, pad, substrate, sign) are processed in your browser and never transmitted.
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Children's privacy: not directed at under-13s; no data knowingly collected from children.
Changes to this policy will be posted on this page with a revised effective date.
Disclaimer
This tool is for general informational use. It is not a substitute for field practice or expert guide knowledge. Spoor identification is a learned skill; the tool returns the most likely call based on averages.
By using this tool you accept that the author is not liable for losses arising from decisions based on its output.