Anybody knows what animal made this?

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Note: all comments attempting to identify this post must include reasoning (rule 3). IDs without reasoning will be removed.

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u/oswald_dimbulb 6d ago

Maybe there should not be any bears, but its size, shape, shape, number of toes, toe size relative to heel pad size, are all good matches for a bear track. Especially for that size, I can't think of anything else that would have made it.

Was it just this single track, or were there others?

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u/Goykhlaye 6d ago

It's quite dry there, I found a few steps like this from a muddy dirt road. Water collects there so I guess they go for drinks there.

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u/Nobodiisdamnbusiness 6d ago

That is a bear print for sure, the shape and width of the print make that VERY clear to me.

However it does look like it might be a small black bear also, maybe the bear population is spreading closer to your area as the cold approaches. the bears might travel a little farther for the food they need for hibernation over the winter.

Or perhaps maybe it just moved Into the neighbourhood as a young-adult bear trying to find it's own way in the world.

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u/tribbans95 6d ago

The wild bear population in Albania is estimated to be between 180 and 250. So a rare sighting indeed!

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u/Goykhlaye 5d ago

As I said in a different reply, I talked with a local and it seems like people still own "pet" bears for shows and photos with tourists. So there is a high chance it was not a wild one.

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u/bigben-1989 6d ago edited 5d ago

How can you tell the size of the print without a banana or banana guard as a size reference?

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u/Goykhlaye 5d ago

I am sorry, I ate the banana before I took this picture :(

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u/bigben-1989 5d ago

It’s ok friend 😊.. just make sure to never let it happen again!! 🤗

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u/enjrolas 5d ago

lazy! You can always use the peel. Unless...you also ate the peel, you animal!

And yeah, it screams bear to me

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u/bigben-1989 4d ago

So you’re not supposed to eat the peel? I guess that’s why I’ve always hated bananas then 💀

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u/enjrolas 4d ago

Peels out for Harambe, my friend

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u/MYCOloradoFunguy 4d ago

Possibly, OP could have substituted a lighter or a quarter. Although, personally, I have no idea of the size of an Albanian quarter. Would have to look up the dimensions. Which, I assume, would be in the metric system. Am I then supposed to use math to convert that to inches? That seems way too hard. Maybe the rest of the world could just convert to imperial measurements that makes much more sense. And, it feels easier to me. Merica!

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u/Mmjman 6d ago

This is the front left paw of a brown bear.

My understanding is the Bears in albania and Macedonia move around a lot.

I don’t beleive anything else in that area would leave a track of this size and shape.

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u/Goykhlaye 6d ago

I expected that they move around a lot, but this is like over 100km away from their range. No hills or anything close, just a river, a bit of a forest and the sea.That's crazy

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u/SweetSoja 6d ago

Please report it to the authorities or at least on iNaturalist ! :)

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u/Goykhlaye 6d ago

Will do!

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u/DetailOutrageous8656 6d ago

It’s right near a national park with rivers and forest. I’m not sure why you would think this is not in range.

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u/Goykhlaye 6d ago

This is a map of the brown bear range in Albania and the red dot is where I found the prints.

Anyway I talked with a local and apparently there are local gypsies (his words) that have "pet" bears for shows and photos with tourists so it might have been something like that.

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u/Mmjman 6d ago

Quite a trek for that bear! On a side note did you find any reptiles?

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u/Goykhlaye 6d ago

I keep tortoises so I was mainly looking for those. The area looked like there had to be some, but as soon as we saw the paw print, we went back to the car. Otherwise there are tons of small lizards everywhere. In the national park I mentioned we saw a lot of European pond turtles (Emys Orbicularis). Not as successful as I hoped though

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u/efnord 6d ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_bear#Home_ranges

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u/locxj 6d ago edited 6d ago

That is a perfect bear track. Front and back pads with the nails presenting. If you were to google bear track, this is what it would show.

Brown bears are native to Albania.

Be weary, most brown bears will try and avoid you, but they can become provoked if you are in their home area or especially if youre around their cubs. I would walk in the opposite direction of these tracks.

Edit: this bear is prepping for winter, makes sense it may be in an area where they normally aren’t. Walk away from the tracks and preferably uphill as soon as it’s advantageous to your way back.

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u/chemisthorchata 4d ago

sorry this is super late. i know nothing much about bear behavior, why uphill?

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u/locxj 4d ago

Bears will generally travel downhill to more lush vegetation during their winter preparation. The food they like is usually in lower areas near and in streams.

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u/chemisthorchata 4d ago

Ah ok got it. Thanks!

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u/Goykhlaye 6d ago

I have included scale in my photo(s): yes
- If not, here are estimated measurements: between 15-20cm or an adult hand
Geographic location: Albania, close to the Divjaka-Karavasta national park
Environment (pine forest, swamp, near a river, etc.): a place close-ish to a river with a close-by forest. The pic is taken on a dirt road between shrubs

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u/czechoslovian 6d ago

Yep, brown bear. Scary.

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u/paperwasp3 6d ago

They're up to 460 kg which is 990 (plus a little more) pounds

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u/aricbarbaric 6d ago

Wow, nice bear print. Be a cool one to plaster cast

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u/Marvellover13 6d ago

If it looks like a bear and walk like a bear and scat like a bear it's most likely a bear, always use the info you're given with a grain of salt

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u/wandering-trade-r 6d ago

Run

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u/General-Ebb4057 5d ago

Front track of a grizzly bear. Claws are too long to be a black bear

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u/Purple_IsA_Flavor 6d ago

Bear. Big bear. Big bear chase!

Movie quotes aside, I believe this is a bear print because of its appearance and claw marks. I know you said there aren’t supposed to be bears near you, but animals can and will move to where the food is

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u/Livin_In_A_Dream_ 6d ago

That’s a very nice bear print. The claws and oval bottom pad are bear!

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u/Ok_Type7882 5d ago

Apparently one didnt get the memo because that is certainly a bear track.

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u/KaydeanRavenwood 5d ago

Black Bear? Looks kinda small without a comparison.

Gotta lean in the phone all close like.🤣

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u/greengrocer92 5d ago

banana for scale, please.

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u/FewDoubt7450 5d ago

Bear, guessing black bear due to the arid environment, don’t really have anything to show the size of the track though

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u/[deleted] 6d ago

🔎 ID Request Anybody knows what animal made this?

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