Vertebrates
Browse our Q&A about birds, eggs, nests, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals of the Central Coast and Channel Islands.
- Anthropology
- Rocks & Fossils
- Invertebrates
- Vertebrates
- Botany
- Astronomy
- Fungi
- General
- Recently Asked
Unusual object found on the beach
I found an object on Ledbetter Beach that has me stumped. Because it was on the beach I first assumed that is was of marine origin, but it looks more like a mammal horn. I hope that the attached photos are clear enough for you to identify the object. It has the texture of a horn, and overall is about 90mm in its long dimensions.
Curator Response
Dear David,
You’re right, this is from a land mammal! It’s a hoof, so—like a horn—it is keratin-based. It looks a lot like the dried cow hooves which are commercially available as dog treats. It’s too well-preserved to be very old, so it was probably left behind on the beach or washed down there during a rainy period.
Stay curious,
Curator of Vertebrate Zoology Krista Fahy, Ph.D., and Dibblee Curator of Earth Science Jonathan Hoffman, Ph.D.
