I've been trying to find scientific research concerning animals' tendency to adhere to certain worn paths, or "game trails". However, I have found very little and suspect the problem to be that a different, more scientific word is usually used instead.
A "game trail" is a clear path in a forest lacking substantial undergrowth due to the frequent passage of animals, such as deer.
It seems that you have become motivated to find a "Scientific
Definition" for the term "Game Trail" for the purpose of scientific
research. I am going to answer your question to the best of my
knowledge by trying to provide an answer that is helpful to your
studies versus just offering various definitions. I perceive
language as being a vehicle for communication and understanding,
using my current perception I think you have the correct definition
to achieve understanding.
Scientific research that would help explain certain animals tendencies to adhere to certain paths could be obtained and learned
about scientifically through many various fields of study. I am
going to provide information focuses primarily on the study of animal
behavior regarding Animal Cognition. This method of scientific
research would seemingly be obtained through visual stimuli during
such studies to understand the actions of animals.
After doing some brief research into animal behavior to offer some scientific explanation and reasoning here are my results.
Simply stated animals are motivated to survive as a primary
predisposition. Taking into account that idea it would seem that
animals would react similarly in a similar environment to efficiently
achieve that predisposition as a general rule, This would mean that
various stimuli in such similar shared environment may have
encouraged animals to act in a way that would create infrastructure
in the environment to help them survive. If an animal chose a path
because of the nearby resources necessary for it's survival then it's
likely other animals would choose similar paths resulting in leaving
behind signs in the form of stimuli such as,but not limited to;
scent, structures (dens, beds, dams, etc...) food, and broken plant
cover. The variables of each animals affect on that path would be of
scientific importance but as a simple perspective it would seem even
after the first animal took a path for the previous reasons the next
animal in the area may find that path easier to take being as how the
first animal would have broken some of the plant cover this would of
course be true for each animal that travels such path until you end
up with a little road or "game trail". It would also be apparent
that an animal would choose to use such path often after the first
time of use since the reasons for taking the unbeaten path were
substantial enough for the survival of said animal to rely on taking
an unbeaten path. This is just a very simple explanation to give
examples as to why an animal takes such action. I would like to
state a perspective in relation to understanding other species
actions with the reminder that humans are animals that have a
predisposition to survive as well. Of course living things are
generally motivated for their survival with the natural goal of
continuing their species, observation using the scientific method
of modern scientific culture would support such statements. That
being stated we as an intelligent species have also chosen to
create and share paths for our survival in the hunt for resources
and an improved ability to survive. These days it's easy to
forget such things since we are creating things such as shared
routes of travel for things other than simple "Survival".
I would advise you to look into the science of psychology and
findings throughout the study of animal behavior as well as
comparative psychology, ethology, behavioral ecology, and
evolutionary psychology, and cognitive ethology if you are trying to
locate Scientific avenues for research information in the scientific
communities. I believe I have answered you question and offered
thoughts to help you in your research. Thanks for everyone that has
participated in this conversation in the pursuit of answering the
question and most of all thanks for allowing me the opportunity to
participate as well. Sincerely
I don't know about science, but in general usage it is paths of desire (or, as Wikipedia calls them, desire paths).
Spoor, according to Oxford Living Dictionaries:
The track or scent of an animal.
Two of their example sentences:
‘He found the spoor easily enough and followed it for about a minute, but then it forked.’
‘They followed cattle spoors for about seven kilometres and found 66 of the cattle scattered over a distance of 10 km.’
Used in academia:
Tracking, the reconstruction of activity from the spoor of animals, is an age‐old technique that is still frequently used by modern‐day hunter/gatherer communities.
Attribution:
"Spoor | Definition of Spoor in English by Oxford Dictionaries." Oxford Dictionaries | English. Accessed May 26, 2018. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/spoor.
Stander, P.e., Ii. Ghau, D. Tsisaba, Ii. Oma, and |.| Vi. "Tracking and the Interpretation of Spoor: A Scientifically Sound Method in Ecology." Journal of Zoology 242, no. 2 (2009): 329-41. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1997.tb05805.x.
