The Skull ID Thread

[JonathanD]

Yeah, quite a few. I'll put together a comprehensive list when I get back home on Thursday, but here the ones I can remember:

Birds Tracks and Signs
The Country Life Guide to Animals of Britain and Europe
Animal tracks and signs

 

[_scorpio_]

at the moment for a quick cheat i am using this website: http://www.skullsite.co.uk/lists.htm but there isnt much on it which is why im not good at this

 

[JonathanD]

at the moment for a quick cheat i am using this website: http://www.skullsite.co.uk/lists.htm but there isnt much on it which is why im not good at this

Try this one then.....

 

[om2ae]

Hi Guys

Have just come across this thread, yes its a pip, however as a licenced bat worker I have to point out that, to have part of a Europeon Protected Species (either dead or alive) is an offence (unless you have a licence for possession).

Jonathan if this skull is in your possession can i suggest that you get rid, there is a massive bat communtiy out there and if one of them gets hold of this you could find yourself in alot of trouble. (that is assuming you don't have a licence yourself and the iage is not from the interent). I'd be happy to discuss if you need any other info PM me if needed.

Martin

 

[JonathanD]

Hi Martin,

I appreciate your concern and understand where your coming from as I'm a licenced herpetologist and deal with Smooth snakes etc. Years ago in the early nineties I used to be a bat worker, but I went to Uni and packed it in.

The skull isn't mine, the picture was taken from this site: http://www.savalli.us/BIO370/Diversity/09.Mammalia.html I just airbrushed out the writing.

 

[Adze]

Try this one then.....

Looks 'badgeresque' to me, but I've been consistently close bu no cigar so far so it's probably something else

 

[JonathanD]

You are right, it is something else

 

[om2ae]

Hi Jonathan

I have a GCN licence and am working on dormouse, as long as you are aware, some of the bat community go a little OTT, the recent Bear G's programme with him knocking bats out of the sky caused a huge who - ha to the point of petitions etc going to Discovery, youtube etc.

Anyway I am sure you are up to speed with the law and sorry to bring it up, as an ecologist and hobby bushcrafter I see both sides, so don't.

Martin

 

[JonathanD]

Hi Jonathan

I have a GCN licence and am working on dormouse, as long as you are aware, some of the bat community go a little OTT, the recent Bear G's programme with him knocking bats out of the sky caused a huge who - ha to the point of petitions etc going to Discovery, youtube etc.

Anyway I am sure you are up to speed with the law and sorry to bring it up, as an ecologist and hobby bushcrafter I see both sides, so don't.

Martin

To be honest, I don't have a problem with Bear, but that scene with the bats led me to right a thread on it, it was bad. I've been called in to customs and excise many times to ID potentially protected reptile items being imported so know full well about the law concerning prohibited items, and was recently involved in a case where someone was trying to sell a pickled Smooth snake on Ebay. Entirely innocently as it was part of an old school collection from the 1950s, but still a prohibited item to have and sell.

I love the dormouse, never actually seen one in the wild, or even in the flesh come to that. I hope you don't have an ongoing fight with so called Nature Trusts as much as I do when trying to conserve habitat. But that discussion (rant) belongs in a different thread.

I back the bat folk up on their obsession to be honest, I used to work with many bat workers and looked after sick and injured ones some 20 years back. Imagine how you would react if you saw a dormouse skull or pelt on here. I know I'd freak if someone posted a BBQ'd adder, a la Bear. I am probably in possession of quite a few Brown Long Eared bodies though, as the roost in my loft and I've found a couple of mummified examples in the past. That part of my attic is very narrow and I don't go into that part very often. Maybe I should have a clear out

I appreciate your concern and back you up 100% with your very valid and important post.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Cause of death looks like an axe or spade to the head, maybe a trap.
A pesky mink or someone accidentally put a spade through their ferrets head when trying to dig out a lay-up?

 

[om2ae]

Hi

I don't really have a problem with him, but that was a little off really (Discovery should of done better research) I currently have a noctule I'm looking after broken wing, healing well but going to have to sort out possession licence in the next week or so as she is not releaseable. she has also had a pup and the bat group are in the middle of sorting out a flight cage to get him ready to releases.

picture here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/50727928@N03/4661342332/, not sure if this will work as near managed to post a picture.

The roost you have is one of those things, I'd love to have a roost in the house, your lucky, the bodies there are part of the roost so no problem law wise. If you do come across any in the loft you could send them to DEFRA as part of the passive testing programme for rabies, BCT would send you the enveoples and tubes used, just ring them up and ask.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50727928@N03/4661342332/" title="Baby Noctule, M O'Connor 2010 by om2ae, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4661342332_62e7b48ff0.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Baby Noctule, M O'Connor 2010" /></a>

 

[JonathanD]

Cause of death looks like an axe or spade to the head, maybe a trap.
A pesky mink or someone accidentally put a spade through their ferrets head when trying to dig out a lay-up?

It does look like a spring trap wound doesn't it, I should have made a cold case thread on this. Not Mink though.

Martin, that noctule is amazing. I do miss working with those fluffy critters.

 

[Bushwhacker]

I reckon that ridge along the top might define what it is, but I don't know what critter it would be specific to.

 

[Adze]

That ridge is why I thought badger... Mink do have one similar, so I'm now thinking some sort of marten or polecat perhaps. I'll have a stab at pine marten if we're allowed second goes?

 

[JonathanD]

That ridge is why I thought badger... Mink do have one similar, so I'm now thinking some sort of marten or polecat perhaps. I'll have a stab at pine marten if we're allowed second goes?

You can have as many goes as you want. If you look carefully at that ridge, you will see that the skull has actually split and overlapped. The skull is quite old and has weathered quite alot.

 

[Bushwhacker]

I'm looking at that previous skull now of the weasel and the upside down 'V' looks similar.
Stoat?

Wish there was a 'head scratch' smilie

 

[JonathanD]

Stoat it is... well done.

Hows about this one then...

 

[poddle]

I think it may be a munty as well

Edit, hang on is that a different skull? Thats not a Munty

 

[Adze]

It's not sheep, too many teeth

Could be muntjac but there doesn't seem to be any sign of the canines or sockets for them.

Roe deer perhaps?

 

[_scorpio_]

i was going to go with a sheep or a goat... looks like it was caught in some boggy ground, and it looks like wales...