This post is very simply a plea for assistance. Whilst Bev and I were on Corfu, last September/October, I found the skull of a small animal which had been victim of road kill. The bones of the main body were generally stripped clean of flesh, although the skull retained some fur which was fairly nondescript dark brown. My guess being that it was of a similar size to the Mink which I see regularly down on the banks of the RMC. I am aware that Rock Marten is a likely id, although haven't been able to rule out Polecat or any other similar sized animal. I've had the skull soaking in a very weak bleach solution since we got home. In all honesty, I'd completely forgotten about it until my grandson, Harry, asked where the skull was?
I've taken a few images, with a ruler to provide an accurate scale, in the hope that someone will be able to provide a positive id.
Hi Dyl. From a Pdf article on the larger animals of Corfu, I came up with these: Stone marten, Beach marten, Eurasian otter. A process of elimination probably rules out Otter. So the other two, I imagine, comes down to habitat where found.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this Ric.
DeleteI have done some further research, based upon what you found and have discovered that Beech Marten and Stone Marten are the same species (Martes foina). My use of the term Rock Marten is purely because that is what it is called on Kefalonia. I'd asked one of the local shop owners about a carcass I'd seen just outside the village of Lourdas. The Wikipedia site then confirmed the id with some nice images of a skull which is exhibited in a museum in North America! So a very enjoyable excursion around the cyber system has seen a successful conclusion.
All the best - Dyl