Possible ID for odd creature

LisaO

Didn't see this myself & have no pics but following description from neighbour:

Mammal, about size of Jack Russell, fox-red colour longish fur, no tail, shortish snout.

Was dead on side of road. Then her OH saw one running up road in same area. Neither of them could identify what it was & both would be pretty clued up on local wildlife. Lack of tail has us stumped

I'm thinking possibly muntjac?

Have seen all of the following in the area: badger, fox, pine marten, mink, red squirrel, hare, rabbit.

LostCovey

LisaO wrote: »

Didn't see this myself & have no pics but following description from neighbour:

Mammal, about size of Jack Russell, fox-red colour longish fur, no tail, shortish snout.

Was dead on side of road. Then her OH saw one running up road in same area. Neither of them could identify what it was & both would be pretty clued up on local wildlife. Lack of tail has us stumped

I'm thinking possibly muntjac?

Have seen all of the following in the area: badger, fox, pine marten, mink, red squirrel, hare, rabbit.

Very intriguing - what general part of the country? Fur sounds wrong for Muntjac (the description sounds wrong for most things I can think of!

Is it still on the road?

The only thing I can think of is a damaged or partly scavenged (hence tail-less) fox cub.

LostCovey

LisaO

LostCovey wrote: »

Very intriguing - what general part of the country? Fur sounds wrong for Muntjac (the description sounds wrong for most things I can think of!

Is it still on the road?

The only thing I can think of is a damaged or partly scavenged (hence tail-less) fox cub.

LostCovey

Hi LostCovey.

South East, inland area. Very rural, farmland with wooded areas, both deciduous & (small) evergreen plantations with small river running through the area.

It's not still on the road or I would have gone to have a good look for myself. The dead one on the road was a few months back but the live sighting was in the past week.

My initial thought was also that the tail had been scavenged but the live one didn't have a tail either.

My other thought was some kind of water rodent, maybe like a coypu but I'm sure they have a long, rat-like tail

recedite

Muntjac are living along the Avonmore river valley in Wicklow alright.

Sonovagun

i reckon it's a dead fox. alot of gun club members stop and remove the tails off dead foxes!

LostCovey

Sonovagun wrote: »

i reckon it's a dead fox. alot of gun club members stop and remove the tails off dead foxes!

I agree, and have found tail-less fox carcasses in our land, clearly thrown off the road.

LostCovey

LisaO

Sonovagun wrote: »

i reckon it's a dead fox. alot of gun club members stop and remove the tails off dead foxes!

Unlikely - a live one was also seen, again with no tail. And people who saw it would definitely be able to identify a fox.

philstar

someone mentioned muntjac, but are they in ireland?? just taught they were in the uk

LostCovey

LisaO wrote: »

Unlikely - a live one was also seen, again with no tail. And people who saw it would definitely be able to identify a fox.

Was the live one also furry? It sounds bizarre!

LC

recedite

Marmalade Manx Cat ?

LostCovey

recedite wrote: »

Marmalade Manx Cat ?

AAAAaaaaaahhhh YES!!!! Good thinking Recedite

Brilliant suggestion. the rest of us got way too wrapped up in wild/feral possibilities

LostCovey

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