What IS this animal?

gambite

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You guys are joking, right? Its obviously a sick dog.
 

Roski

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I ruled out dog because
1) of the way it is sitting/carrying itself,
2) of its tail, and
3) of the article's claim that it has five toes on each foot.

It's pretty chewed up, that's for sure.
 

hassman789

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hyena?

it kinda looks like a hyena with mites. but i dont know alot. it just looks like that to me:? it seems to have round ears like a hyena. and hyenas look like dogs
 

pitbulllady

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It's some type of Civet, either an Asian Palm Civet or a Common Civet. Both are common in that part of China, and both are frequently on the menu of human diners. The tail, the feet, the size, the shape of the head-all point to a Civet. There are no possums or other marsupials in China. It's a Civet with a really bad case of mange.

Hyenas, by the way, are BIG animals. An adult Spotted Hyena is the size of a large St. Bernard or English Mastiff, and I've actually petted one before. The Striped and Brown Hyenas, while smaller, are still roughly the size of a German Shepherd, so the size alone would rule out a Hyena of any sort.

pitbulllady
 

RoachGirlRen

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If fossa were found in Asia rather than Madagascar it might be reasonable. Personally I'm with the Civet vote as well. Civets DO have rounded ears, and the ears would probably be further rounded and enlarged by vascular damage from itching; auricular hematomas are incredibly abundant in animals with mange.
 

whitewolf

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If fossa were found in Asia rather than Madagascar it might be reasonable. Personally I'm with the Civet vote as well. Civets DO have rounded ears, and the ears would probably be further rounded and enlarged by vascular damage from itching; auricular hematomas are incredibly abundant in animals with mange.
Yeah ok I see it now closest I could get on it's ears were sketches at first and some of the drawings have the ears looking like a fence fox. :rolleyes: You can see it better here http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/carnivores/civet_asian_palm.html Info is prob junk but much better photo. LOL Was looking at the wrong civets.
 

skips

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Interesting hobby! :eek: Please do!
You're telling me. He can also name the genus species name of just about any ungulate on earth and most commonly known mammals. He is a zookeeper though. He says civet. He thought palm civet but it doesnt look that small. Either way, civet.
 

Kirsten

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Whatever it is,I really feel for it. Cold;dirty;hungry;ill,and a whole lot of humans who think it is just hideous.
 

pouchedrat

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I'm going to guess it's a tanuki.

...because tanuki are adorable with hair.... <3
 

funguy@heart

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Call me crazy, but it looks like a Tazmanian Tiger without hair. I have gone Google crazy looking for carnivores, cats, dogs, possums and all other suggestions but nothing matches. They have similar facial structure and the same tail. I know they are supposed to be extinct and didn't live their but looks so close. I hope that's what it is because they were awesome animals. There is a guy that has been trying to bring them back from DNA of saved specimens. He has been at it for over 10 years.
 

pitbulllady

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Call me crazy, but it looks like a Tazmanian Tiger without hair. I have gone Google crazy looking for carnivores, cats, dogs, possums and all other suggestions but nothing matches. They have similar facial structure and the same tail. I know they are supposed to be extinct and didn't live their but looks so close. I hope that's what it is because they were awesome animals. There is a guy that has been trying to bring them back from DNA of saved specimens. He has been at it for over 10 years.
Neither Tazmanian Tigers nor Tanukis can curl their tails around them in that cat-like manner that this animal is seen doing. Tazzie Tigers are very stiff and rigid, like that of their Kangaroo cousins. Plus, they aren't found in China.

It's amazing how many people fail to recognize even common, ordinary mammals without their familiar coats of fur. We had a huge media flap over the infamous "Montauk Monsters" that washed up on a New York beach, because people just couldn't recognize a raccoon with no fur. Almost every day someone claims to have spotted or killed a "Chupacabra" down in TX or other Southwestern state because bald, mange-ridden coyotes don't look like healthy, furry coyotes, and because people would rather believe in something "alien" or "monstrous" than to accept the most-logical, simplest explanations of native animals with a bad case of mange.

pitbulllady
 

funguy@heart

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Why so serious? This is a thread about taking a guess, who are you to judge. Its obvious the poor animal has mange which I stated on an earlier guess. Some people need to pull the stick out their ass.
 

Roski

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No fighting, now, please :eek:. I don't think pitbulllady was jumping on you for making your guess. Naked mammals, whenever photographed, are often startling to the general public and lead to "slow news day" Chupacabra stories (raccoons, sloths, civets). I have to agree, they really do nothing for what my own brain is used to making sense of.

...Though they can't be all that uncommon, to merit some very interesting hobbies surrounding such (right, skips? ;)).
 
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pitbulllady

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Let's start with you? :rolleyes:

Civet, btw.
Thank you, xhexdx!
This same animal has been discussed to pieces on two Cryptozoology sites, where there are several actual Biologists including myself(yes, I have a dreaded Biology degree as well as quite a bit hands-on experience with many "exotic" animals)have concluded it's a Civet, as well. The simplest and most-logical explanations are almost always the correct ones. When a hairless or diseased specimen of animal, or a rotting carcass, if found, it simply makes more sense to first look at the animals that are native to that area that would be the most-likely "suspects" rather than to assume it must be something from far, far away or some unknown species. I've actually handled an African Civet, and had a Binturong(which is a type of Civet, albeit a strange one)sitting on my shoulders with its tail wrapped around my face, so I've seen first-hand how their paws, faces and catty tails look, although they do look a lot better without the mange.

pitbulllady
 

skips

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Thank you, xhexdx!
This same animal has been discussed to pieces on two Cryptozoology sites, where there are several actual Biologists including myself(yes, I have a dreaded Biology degree as well as quite a bit hands-on experience with many "exotic" animals)have concluded it's a Civet, as well. The simplest and most-logical explanations are almost always the correct ones. When a hairless or diseased specimen of animal, or a rotting carcass, if found, it simply makes more sense to first look at the animals that are native to that area that would be the most-likely "suspects" rather than to assume it must be something from far, far away or some unknown species. I've actually handled an African Civet, and had a Binturong(which is a type of Civet, albeit a strange one)sitting on my shoulders with its tail wrapped around my face, so I've seen first-hand how their paws, faces and catty tails look, although they do look a lot better without the mange.

pitbulllady
What may I ask are you doing with your Bachelors, masters, or PhD that you're handling binturong and civets?

...Though they can't be all that uncommon, to merit some very interesting hobbies surrounding such (right, skips? ;)).
Just thought i'd add, he brought home two dead yellow jackets yesterday and dissected them for fun under his microscope, then mounted a few mites he found on a slide for later...again, for fun. He's an interesting guy.
 
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