Page 65 - Mammal (DK Eyewitness)

Lower jaw of gnawing BLEACHED, BEACHED BACKBONE
animal - long incisors Cleaned white by the sea, this fur
seal’s vertebra (backbone) was
washed up on the appropriately
named Skeleton Coast, Namibia,
(South-West Africa). The salty
water has caused chemical
corrosion, dissolving out the
weaker substances to show the
internal structure of bone. Fur seal vertebra
Herbivore’s tooth -
flat, grinding top
Lower jaw of carnivore - carnassial tooth

UNREWARDING MOUTHFULS
Jaws and teeth are rarely eaten by a
predator, since the teeth are too
hard and their roots project into
the jawbone.

Internal channels
in bone can
be seen

CASTAWAY
Deer lose or cast their
A NATURAL DEATH? antlers each year and grow
In urban areas a new set. The roebuck
approximately uses its antlers in duels
50 percent of fox with other males (p. 26)
deaths each year are and also rubs them on
caused by cars. These trees during the summer
bones were found near to mark his territory.
a main road. Perhaps Roe deer
the fox was hit by a car antler
and crawled away
before dying.

Pelvis Broken
(hip bone) shaft

A PILE OF WINGS
This indicates that a bat is
nearby. They are partial to the
juicy bodies of moths, but allow Point where antler is
Limb bones the dry wings to drop into a neat joined to the skull
Furs on the fence heap below their roost.
Barbed wire is the artificial equivalent of the thicket, and just as good at snagging fur from passing animals.
The height at which the fur was caught, and the size of the hole through which the animal pushed, are
important clues, as well as the color and nature of the hairs.

Fox fur Sheep fur (wool) Rabbit fur

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