Author: Owen Caldwell

A porcupine means protection without aggression. What Native American, biblical, Celtic and Japanese traditions actually say, plus yard, night, dream and dead porcupine sightings.

Four toes in front, five webbed toes behind and a thin tail drag. Muskrat track sizes, stride, gait and how they differ from beaver, mink and rat tracks.

A tiger dream signals raw power and strong emotion, either your own strength or a threat you sense. What the color, age and behavior of the tiger mean, from white and black tigers to cubs, chases and the Hindu and Chinese readings.

A bumblebee stands for persistence, gentle strength and joy in your work. Here is what it means when one lands on you, visits your house or appears after a loss.

Hedgehogs symbolize protection, boundaries and quiet resilience. Here is what each sighting is believed to mean, from the garden visit to the dead hedgehog, and what the biblical and folklore sources actually say.

Badger scat is a thick dark tube 2 to 5 in long, packed with fur and bone, usually in a dug pit. Size, contents, latrines and the three common mix-ups.

Seeing an elk is traditionally read as a sign of stamina and standing. Native American, Christian, Celtic, Norse and East Asian meanings, kept separate.

Chinchillas chirp, bark, grind their teeth, chatter, hiss and scream. What each noise means, when you hear it, and which ones need a vet.

Badger tracks show five toes and long claw marks set well ahead of the pads, with a wide, pigeon-toed trail. Sizes, gait and the dog, cat and raccoon lookalikes.

A javelina track runs about 1.3 in long with blunt hooves, and the hind foot has only three toes. Measurements, stride, and how to rule out deer and hog.