Page 64 - Mammal (DK Eyewitness)

Mammal detective

For most people Long-lasting bones
today, contact with the Bones, teeth, horns, antlers, and other hard parts of the
natural world is limited to mammal body tend to persist long after the flesh and soft
the garden or park, or an organs have been eaten or rotted away. To the trained eye,
a crack or dent in a certain place can
occasional walk in the indicate the manner of death.
Indian trackers rely on their woods. This unfamiliarity Wear on the teeth may show
detective work for food with nature breeds a type that the owner was old
of blindness: when out on a walk we look, but we and weak and perhaps
died from disease.
don’t know exactly what for. Yet there are still
groups of peoples around the world who live with
nature, in the manner of our ancestors. We can
only wonder at their knowledge and experience
when it comes to “detective work.” The merest hint HORNED SKULL
The cranium
of gnawing or a dropping is quickly identified (braincase) of the
skull is designed to
since it is important - it could lead to meat for protect the brain within,
food, bones for tools, and skins for clothes and and even on this old
sheep it has not been
shelter. Yet anyone can learn. It’s a question of broken. Small carrion
having the time and needing feeders crawled inside and
picked the skull clean.
the knowledge.
Round hole
gnawed out
Fascinating dung by dormouse

Many mammals have regular defecation
stations, and the droppings are often
used as territorial markers, as when an
otter leaves its spraints, or feces.
NUTCRACKERS
SQUIRREL SIGNS The hard shell of the
Rabbit Squirrels strip the hazelnut is a challenge, but
droppings scales from pine the delicious kernel inside is
cones to reach the worth it. Different mammals
nutritious seeds tackle the shell in
sandwiched inside. characteristic ways.
Nut split cleanly in two
by adult squirrel
Squirrel-gnawed
pine cones

Irregular hole in side,
RABBIT “PEAS” Teeth at work the work of a yellow-
necked mouse
Rabbits use their
droppings to scent- Rodents are the champion Shells gnawed
mark territory.
gnawers. Even when not by rat
feeding, they gnaw
experimentally at many different SNAILS UNSHELLED
materials using their chisel- A brown rat on the beach
Roe deer shaped incisor teeth (p. 50). neatly gnawed these snail
shells to eat the occupants.
droppings
Electrical cable gnawed by rodent

DEER DROPPINGS
Deer eat lots of low- POWER CUTS
nutrient food and so Rats and mice may gnaw at electrical cables to find out what is inside. This can
leave large amounts of have consequences. Sometimes the animal is electrocuted. Fires and power cuts
droppings. have been started by such “innocent” rodent behavior.

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