(Found with a complete skeleton, clean and gleaming white in a dark wet North Coast forest. Possums only live one to two years in the wild; even in captivity you're lucky to get 3 to 4 years out of one. Thus they give birth to ichthyoid numbers of young, which results in large populations of adults, which in turn leads to carcasses scattered across the landscape.
What got this one I can't say, but it wasn't a predator, since the skeleton was intact. The skull was a few feet away, however, so a [very restrained] scavenger happened by at some point.)
What got this one I can't say, but it wasn't a predator, since the skeleton was intact. The skull was a few feet away, however, so a [very restrained] scavenger happened by at some point.)
You either have a Big Swiss Army Knife or a very small skull. Mind you; don´t know nothing about Possums.
ReplyDeletewow, so cool! Thanks for showing the swiss army knife with it for sizing. Did you leave the bones behind or did you collect them for a school or kindergarten?
ReplyDeleteYeah, their heads normally only reach about 5 inches long. The skull is also remarkably fragile, which is why you can see the left half of the lower mandible has broken off and is lying askew beneath the rest.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I'm a lifelong compulsive bone collector -- especially headbones -- I left these on the ground. Didn't think of the school possibility. Possum skulls are pretty fragile; I'm not sure how much study they can tolerate. But my middle school science classroom did have an entire wall full of skulls and various lifeforms in formaldehyde. Wasn't aware they still did that.
ReplyDeleteGreat find with an interesting back story.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your link at My Corner of the World this week!