Chasing Hawk

My oldest son Anthony lives in Tulsa Oklahoma. He is working on a lake house near Lake Tenkiller. And found this skull, it's rather interesting I think.

Any idea who it belonged to?

quiltsRfun

Yes, very interesting. From the looks of those teeth I don't think I'd like to run into a live specimen!

Helen Bankert

Is it beaver teeth? They are curved.

Sandee

Looks like a beaver to me, too.

dogpursemaker

What rodents are common out there? Definitely looks rodent to me. I think the bottom teeth are simply a malformation. I don't know of any critter with crossed bottom teeth like that. It looks like the one tooth was actually growing into the upper skull area. Poor thing probably starved to death. The teeth didn't create the correct bite, so they wouldn't wear down correctly allowing it to eat. The teeth are pretty sturdy, much more than rabbit. Are beaver common out there?

Chasing Hawk

A beaver was out first thought. But it appears to have curved fangs also.

Still a mystery I guess.

Greenheron

Really sad. Poor critter--beaver or any of the gnawers, even a porcupine, muskrat, groundhog, marmot. Amazing it lived so long. I don't believe they're fangs. They just grew awry or the animal was injured and unable to gnaw and keep them worn down properly. It does appear to have a prominent snout, too.

Chasing Hawk

It does appear to have a snout. I looked up Opussums and they don't have the same teeth pattern.

If my son calls tonight I will ask about the teeth pattern and if it looks like it maybe a small part of a larger skull.

QuiltMania

Looks like a muskrat skull to me.

Chasing Hawk

That might be it!

The bottom teeth may have spread out while under ground from the weight of the dirt. Or the lower jaw bone was broke during his or he last battle.