Mammal Master Badge

Mammal Feature Hunt

Lesson 7.1 · What is a Mammal?Outdoor Mission
Kitimu
Kitimu says…You’ve learned what makes a mammal special — now go find the proof! Search for clues that mammals have been around: fur on a fence, tracks in the mud, a burrow by a wall. Test everything with your Mammal Checklist. Let’s go, Cub!
Download the printable workbook (PDF)
Print it, grab a pencil, and take it outside!
🎒 What you need
🌲Garden or park
🔍Magnifying glass
📝Notebook & pencil
💼Small sample bag
🧾Your worksheet
✏️Coloured pencils
📌 Your mission
  1. Make your Mammal Checklist. Write the 4 mammal superpowers at the top of your page: hair or fur · drinks milk as a baby · warm-blooded · breathes air. You’ll test every creature against this list!
  2. Search for fur & hair. Walk slowly along fences, hedges and low branches. Look for tufts of fur caught on wire, thorns or rough bark. Each tuft is proof a mammal passed by — pop it in your bag.
  3. Hunt for tracks. Check soft mud, sand or dust for footprints. Mammal tracks usually show toe pads and sometimes claws. Sketch what you find and guess the animal — cat, dog, mongoose, or something wild?
  4. Look for other clues. Spot burrow holes, scratch marks on trees, chewed plants or droppings (look — never touch!). Every sign tells you a mammal lives nearby.
  5. Run the Mammal Test. For every animal you meet — dog, bird, lizard, squirrel — check your 4 superpowers. Score 4 out of 4? It’s a mammal! Fewer? It’s something else.
  6. Record your findings. Draw or describe at least 3 pieces of mammal evidence below. Next to each, write which mammal you think left it — and why.
Ranger TipThe best time to find tracks is early morning, before other footprints cover them. Mud near water is a track-finding goldmine!
Stay SafeNever touch droppings or dead animals. Turn things over with a stick, and always wash your hands when you get home.
Download the printable workbook (PDF)
Print it, grab a pencil, and take it outside!
EcoTraining eLearning
Bringing Nature Home
Junior Rangers · Module 7: Mighty Mammals · Mission 7.1