Sunday, November 16, 2008

Look What We Found - Dekalb, IL



What is this? Is it a rodent? Weasel? Marsupial? Let us know!

4 comments:

Chad said...

The wife thinks it's a weasel, after a preliminary Google search. I'm somewhat willing to agree. Regardless, I'm just glad I didn't step on it.

It puts squirrely to shame, whatever it is.

Rob said...

I'm leaning towards opossum. Here's its skull:

skull.

Todd said...

Actually guys, I'm going with badger on this one. Notice on the badger skull that the top front teeth are more or less in a straight line, but a possum's top front teeth are curved? Also, the next top tooth in front of the canine on a badger is larger than the other front teeth, and the front teeth on a possom are all of similar size.

Badger skull:
Badger badger badger

Chad said...

While badgers are, surprisingly, located in DeKalb (according to the World Wildlife Federation), I am thinking raccoon.

http://www.skullsite.co.uk/Racoon/racoon_lat.jpg

Look at the decaying animal - the coloring looks vaguely like a raccoon, with a little black around the eye. Also, look at the teeth: while we don't have the lower jaw, the spacing between the canine and the incisors is very similar. I think we have our answer.