iN PHOTOS: Wild animals make cool tracks in Thompson-Okanagan snow

A plethora of wildlife abounds in the Thompson-Okanagan region and it can be thrilling for outdoor enthusiasts to find tracks in the snow and identify the species who made them.

“I love seeing the animal tracks in the winter, it’s like seeing their behaviour spelled out in the snow,” said Cherryville resident and avid cross-country skier Dustin Lynx.

Cherryville sits at the foothills of the Monashee Mountains in the North Okanagan, 22 kilometres east of Lumby. Lynx gets out to explore nature most days of the year.

On Jan. 2, he skied up a logging road toward Monashee Pass and came across an interesting animal print in the snow, that of a resting moose including a print of its antlers.

“I come across bedding imprints from elk and deer all the time, but not usually moose,” Lynx said. “This one stood out for me because of the antler impression.”

He stopped to take photos of the print before continuing on. Roughly half a kilometre later, he found a second, similar print.

“I just love getting into nature, I do everyday, there is something to marvel at every time I go out,” he said. “It was rare to find these prints, I don’t often see moose in this area.”

Several nature lovers have snapped photographs of interesting animal tracks and prints in the region this winter, including those from rabbits, squirrels and deer.