Who Done It?

Skull

This skull comes from the collection maintained by the Jackson Bottoms naturalists.

What can we infer about this animal? [ View Answer ]

Answer

Note that the dentation clearly suggests a carnivore, with large canines and sharp premolars and molars designed for cutting and shredding. The eye sockets face forward, providing binocular vision, another carnivore characteristic.

The large size of the eye sockets suggests a very visually oriented animal. The short, blunt nasal cavity suggests a feline rather than canines or other carnivores. This is a bobcat.