Yes, it's a Raccoon

It took me awhile to figure out what this guy is. After I got back from the hospital, my assistant, Ashlee, gave me a mystery skull that her parents (in California) sent to her. They found this skull on their property, and I cleaned it up as best I could. There's still some dirt and dried skin on the mandibular symphysis. The ascending processes of the dentary are broken off, and all of the teeth are cracked in half. But hey, free skull! Can you ID it? I was tipped off by a friend much smarter than me to consult the dental formula, so that's what I suggest.


It is not a large animal. The skull is a whopping 4.5" long.


A little more dried skin that I'm afraid to pull off lest I break the bone. It's really on there.


Here's the lower jaw. Notice that it has the same dental formula as the skull!


RAWR! Actually, this animal wasn't a carnivore. I mean, it will eat meat if presented with meat. But it'll eat just about anything else, too. The wife tells me it's considered something of a pest. What is it, folks?

Lynx & Black-Tailed Deer

I've been gone for awhile. I spent a weekend in Kodiak, but I've been home, just not online. But I have been working on a project: skullifying an animal head. Here's the progress so far. Let's see if you can guess what it is. I'll give hints along the way!


A friend at work gave me the skinned head of a [blank] that he had trapped. He wanted to see what I could do with it. Having already, years ago, did nice skullifications on wolf, deer, and pig heads, I was eager to try my hand at the hobby once more. This is where I'm at. The boiling...the stench...I'm glad it's over.


Obviously, it's an Alaskan animal. Not very big skull, though. There are some structures towards the back of the skull here in ventral view that are dead giveaways.


Big goddamn fangs!


Here's the mandible. Again, big fangs and very reduced dentition. This critter wasn't doing a lot of chewing, but plenty of cutting and slashing. I would not want to be caught in a room with this bugger.


Here's a dorsal view of the mandible, if that helps (probably not).

While in Kodiak last weekend, I found this beauty sitting by the road. At one point, one half was lying in the ground (you'll see) as it was covered in dirt and moss. I've managed to pick most of it off. It's in really gorgeous condition, though.


I know what it is. Do any of you? Again, obviously, Alaskan.


"Why the long face?"


This is the mossy side. It's greener than the other half, but otherwise in the same condition.


As you can see, the only broken bone is the right "prong" process that points downward at the back of the skull. These prongs are helpful in keeping the skull standing up, so with one missing it tends to tip over.

Can't complain too much, though--it's not every day you find a really well-preserved skull just sitting by the side of the road. After the lynx is done (gotta get the brains and sinus tissue out), I've got a big mallard duck in my freezer ready for plucking, skinning, and skeletizing!