Strange animal

I was in plymbridge woods today at a place called two cliffs (so called because there is a cliff on either side of the river!) Anyway, we decided to flot back down the river on logs. We were dragging them across rocks (with great difficulty) and i noticed a little animal on a branch. I thought it wa sa dogs toy or something but it turned out to be a real animal. I took about five photos with my phone and will upload them when i know how. I reckon it was either a rat or a squirrel, or maybe a mink? I dunno, surely someone out there does...

Can anyone tell me how to upload?

Links to pics.

The top half
s3.invisionfree.com...

The whole body
s3.invisionfree.com...

The whole body from another angle
s3.invisionfree.com...

The body from above
s3.invisionfree.com...

Head from the side
s3.invisionfree.com...

Head from the front
s3.invisionfree.com...

[edit on 17-7-2005 by Vulcha]

wow, thats wierd lookin. probably a type of weasel or beaver thing. some sorta amphinious animal. cool find

From the appearance of head and tail, I would say a river otter :

I think its a Water Vole. It looks thinner because it is, well dead and wet.

Or maybe it's your momma. Ha! Take that!

Originally posted by oxgoad
Or maybe it's your momma. Ha! Take that!

What point did that serve??

I'm gonna go with eaglewingz and say its a river otter.

[edit on 7/17/2005 by cereal]

It was too small for an otter though. About 30-45 cm. Perhaps a baby one? Though I've never seen an otter in Plymbridge woods before.

It could be a baby one. I know adult river otters are much larger than 30-45 cm, so a safe guess would be a young otter. I really don't know what else it could be.

As soon as I saw the first head pic I said otter to myself. If not its something in the family. Look how the coat doesn't just look wet but kind of oily? Deffinately related to an otter or beaver.

We have lots of the otters in this area, as well as beaver.....My first thought was otter, maybe a young one. The tail is wrong for a beaver, the coat looks too thin for a mink.....my next guess would be weasel.

I just dont know what a dead weasel as to do with mythical beasts.

People please use real cameras for your photography needs instead of the cheap toy cameras they build into cell phones. I carried a full 35 mm kit with me EVERYWHERE for about 15 years so I know that carrying a small digital camera is not an inconvenience. Cell phones are not cameras, that's why they are called CELL PHONES.

Originally posted by groingrinder
People please use real cameras for your photography needs instead of the cheap toy cameras they build into cell phones. I carried a full 35 mm kit with me EVERYWHERE for about 15 years so I know that carrying a small digital camera is not an inconvenience. Cell phones are not cameras, that's why they are called CELL PHONES.

Yea, well, its the only camera i have to my name.

NinterX. Its an animal which i don't recognise, so i thought ity should go here because cryptzoologyis about animals which are not recognised, so, i thought this would be the best place for it to go.

Vulcha,I don't have a clue where Plymbridge is,and the photos are not very good,but if you were in Maine you'd be looking at what we call a Fisher.It looks like a young one,but as I said the pics are not good so I could be wrong.When I was in my teens I caught a few on a trap line, and see them frequently while hiking along rivers and in marshy areas.

Well im sure its a known animal anyway. Shame its dead, live woulda made for better pic.

Again, it is a dead water vole.

I think it's a water vole, emaciated somewhat and not looking too active because rigor mortis has set in.

I'm surprised no-one else came to this conclsuion.