Two strange animal carcasses at Skyline Wall on March 30th

Fish & Invertebrate sightings and descriptions, hosted by resident NWDC ID expert Janna Nichols (nwscubamom).
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Marek Sk
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Two strange animal carcasses at Skyline Wall on March 30th

Post by Marek Sk »

Two strange animal carcasses at Skyline Wall Anacortes (aka Burrows Pass) on March 30th.
I have sent two photos to my friends and so far nobody has any clue what are these, how these strange carcasses ended up there and in what purpose or in what process.
What is even more strange, I found these two probably about 20 to 30 feet apart from each other.

What was common about both of them:
1. They were both without skin (if mammal) or feather (if bird).
2. They both seem to be having upper part mutilated or shredded.
3. They both had a long tissue string (maybe intestines) hanging in the long loop. But intestines get larger and this fleshy string looks like same diameter for its entire length.
4. They both seem to have tail pointing more towards a mammal.

What was different about them:
1. You can see comparing pictures that one had a 5 fingered feet with fur at every finger end.
Second carcass had the feet cut off or bitten off

First I thought it could have been an extremely large elongated turkey but the birds do not have long tails like both carcasses had.
Based on the foot and tail shape and length it is too big for the Muskrat (I have seen Muskrats underwater in Lake Washington). Beaver and Nutria have different tails.
I suspect that these could have been River Otters.

Has anyone has any ideas if these carcasses could have ended up like this in any natural process?

To me it more looks like someone or something has skinned these animals and that is why fur is visible only on one paw/foot.
Would any savage human do such thing in these days ?

To me finding these two carcassess was sad and disturbing and so far I have not found any answers that is why I am posting it here.

Here are the pictures:
Please click on each of pictures once for a zoom and twice for even larger zoom.

First animal:
Carcass 1 View 1
Carcass 1 View 1
Carcass 1 View 2
Carcass 1 View 2
Carcass 1 View 3
Carcass 1 View 3
Carcass 1 Zoom on the foot
Carcass 1 Zoom on the foot
Carcass 1 Zoom on upper part
Carcass 1 Zoom on upper part
Second animal:
Carcass 2 View 1
Carcass 2 View 1
Carcass 2 View 2
Carcass 2 View 2
Carcass 2 View 3
Carcass 2 View 3
Carcass 2 Zoom on legs
Carcass 2 Zoom on legs
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deep diver
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Re: Two strange animal carcasses at Skyline Wall on March 30

Post by deep diver »

jackalope
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Linedog
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Re: Two strange animal carcasses at Skyline Wall on March 30

Post by Linedog »

Aliens, again.
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Greg Jensen
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Re: Two strange animal carcasses at Skyline Wall on March 30

Post by Greg Jensen »

Judging from the long tail, I'm leaning toward river otter too.
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ljjames
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Re: Two strange animal carcasses at Skyline Wall on March 30

Post by ljjames »

Did you send the pictures to Dept of Fish & Wildlife? If someone is killing and skinning river otters and tossing the carcasses out with hopes that the crabs will eat them it wouldn't hurt to at least mention the odd findings to the authorities. The fact that they are skinned is odd. I've seen enough baby seal carcasses to know that the skin and hair doesn't seem to go first :(
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Marek Sk
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Re: Two strange animal carcasses at Skyline Wall on March 30

Post by Marek Sk »

Thank you Greg !
Thank you Laura !
This is a good idea to report this to WDFW Poaching Enforcement.
I found several ways to report on their website and wrote an e-mail to them to reportpoaching@dfw.wa.gov
I also included my friend who used to work for WDFW for decades and now works for NOAA.
Lets see if there is anything that can be done going forward.
I will post an update if I hear anything back.
Do "Right Things" rather than "things right".
Conquer your fears & you will be blessed with inner peace & serenity.


I feed "Good Wolf", learn from Eagles, smell Rose Anemones & dance with Sea Stars.
I respect ALL Creatures & Diversity.
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CaptnJack
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Re: Two strange animal carcasses at Skyline Wall on March 30

Post by CaptnJack »

I agree on the river otter foot in at least one pic.

Trapping season ended March 31st so these could very well have been legally caught and killed. I don't know the carcass disposal rules, perhaps someone else does.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01419/wdfw01419.pdf
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