Evergreens hunched against the wind . . . the haunting laugh of a canyon wren . . . a canopy of blue sky over the burning desert. This is wilderness a place that offers a superior kind of pleasure, where nature remains untarnished and undepleted . . .

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Naturalist View March 2011

Solving mysteries

I am often called upon to identify clues from nature. I remember a few years back when one of the visitors to our Saturday wildlife exhibit at Catalina State Park asked about some strange leathery eggs that they had found while hiking in the desert. They said that they had found several of different colors lying on the ground. Unable to identify them without seeing them the person said they would bring them in the following week. True to their word the following week they showed up clutching their find in a napkin. Now I tried to be diplomatic but it was really hard not to burst out laughing when I discovered the “eggs” were pellets from paintball guns.
Strange Eggs

I recently was asked about some teeth found in the mud around the lake. I had my suspicions but finding the proof was indeed an adventure, in fact my first guess was off, but I eventually found the answer. What was it? I think it would be more fun if you tried to figure it out. Here are the pictures. What kind of creature do you think they came from? E-mail your answers to jecloer@aol.com.



About Me

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Saddlebrooke (Tucson), Arizona, United States
I am a retired school teacher from Monterey Bay Area in California. I now volunteer as naturalist at Arizona State Parks. I also work with a wildlife rehab center and I present natural history programs to the public.