Observation ID: 54221

After comparing some skull bones, mandible, and ulna to museum specimens, I have decided that this was a young Gray Fox with unerupted molars. -- 'Rather flattened, deteriorated, and scavanged. Smaller than house cat. Tail missing. One forepaw with retracted claws and fur between pads. Lower jaw canid-like and nonfeline with 4 premolars and 2 molars. Upper jaw broken off on posterior. Frontal and parietal bones with very low, U-shaped ridge - unlike that of Gray Fox, Red Fox, Coyote, or Raccoon. Only possible confusion is with immature Gray Fox which is ruled out by dentition, forepaw, and parietal. I have no previous experience with this species live or flat-as-a-pancake except for museum specimens. '