Snow quiz: can you identify these animal tracks?

A young highland cow covered in snow. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

With the UK and much of the rest of Europe in the grip of the weather front known as the “beast from the east”, here’s a chance to test your knowledge of animal tracks. Can you identify the animals that left behind these markings in the snow?

1. 

   Which animal leaves these tracks?

   1. Rabbit

   2. Weasel

   3. Mountain hare

   4. Cat

2. 

   Which animal leaves these tracks?

   1. Badger

   2. Stoat

   3. Squirrel

   4. Swan

3. 

   Which animal leaves these tracks?

   1. Deer

   2. Tiger

   3. Badger

   4. Wolves

4. 

   Which animal leaves these tracks?

   1. Pigeon

   2. Swan

   3. Duck

   4. Goose

5. 

   Which animal leaves these tracks?

   1. Badger

   2. Ferret

   3. Otter

   4. Rabbit

6. 

   Which animal leaves these tracks?

   1. Polar bear

   2. Wolves

   3. Tiger

   4. Snow Leopard

7. 

   Which animal has left these tracks?

   1. Fox

   2. Duck

   3. Stoat

   4. Deer

8. 

   Which animals have left these sets of tracks?

   1. Cats

   2. Geese

   3. Dogs

   4. Sheep

9. 

   Which animal has left this track?

   1. Yeti

   2. Sasquatch

   3. Abominable snowman

   4. It's difficult to say

Solutions

1:C - You would have to be quite far north in the UK to get a glimpse of these. Small mountain hare populations live in Scotland, including on Shetland and Orkney, 2:A - Yes. The Eurasian badger leaves these tracks. This particular photograph was taken in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, 3:D - This photograph was taken in Finland. The wolves had walked across a frozen lake not far from Lieksa, 4:A - Yes, it's a pigeon. All the other options have webbed feet, 5:C - These tracks belong to the common otter, 6:A - You won't find these animals in the UK, even while the 'beast from the east' is plunging the country into freezing conditions, 7:C - This is what was left behind when a stoat ran through snow in the Peak District, Derbyshire, 8:C - This is the pattern left behind when two bouncy dogs have been out enjoying a frolic in the snow, 9:D - Ascribed to a yeti, this picture was taken in 1951 and supposedly shows the footprint of the mysterious creature. There is no proof that yetis exist, and much of the evidence that was 'discovered' by western explorers has turned out to be faked. Reinhold Messner, one of the most famous yeti hunters, was of the view that the creature, if it exists, is some type of bear

Scores

1. 5 and above.

   There's "snow" flies on you - good effort

2. 1 and above.

   That's a bit of a "snow-snow" score we're afraid

3. 0 and above.

   "Snow" way, that's an abysmal score

4. 8 and above.

   It's "snow" joke, you've done really well