SKULLS UNLIMITED INTERNATIONAL NEWS |
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Disappointment on Martha's Vineyard.
Two years ago, a 55-foot deceased fin whale washed ashore on Martha's Vineyard Island, Massachusetts. The whale was buried with the hope that its skeleton could later be recovered. Skulls Unlimited was offered the chance to recover this particular skeleton for the Museum of Osteology. Skulls Unlimited was approached by a production company to film this excavation, the cleaning and articulation of this specimen. It took over a year and a half of planning and coordinating schedules and just when it looked like everything was coming together, they hit a huge snag...no whale!
It was decided that Jay Villemarette and Joey Williams would fly out to Martha's Vineyard for a preliminary expedition to locate the whale and map out the logistics. Armed with GPS coordinates, the help of several local agencies and a backhoe, Jay and Joey set out to find the buried carcass. After a cold, cold day of digging on a windy Atlantic beach (24 degrees with a wind chill that brought the temperature down to 3 degrees Fahrenheit), they were unable to locate the whale. The local beach manger suggested that the carcass could have been washed back out during a storm last year. All of this, needless to say, was very disappointing.
However, all is not lost. Jay says, "With the frequency of whale strandings on the East Coast, we are bound to have another opportunity to excavate a skeleton. We just hope we don't have to wait too long." We will keep you posted on the progress.
To read more, click here for the Martha's Vineyard Gazette article.
Skulls Unlimited in the News
Skulls Unlimited has been, yet again, featured in a news article about the unique nature of the work they do. Click to read the article by Entrepreneur.com
Skulls Unlimited Photo Auction Results
As reported last month, Skulls Unlimited auctioned a one of a kind autographed photo of the Skulls Unlimited crew. Profits from this auction were to be donated to a local Oklahoma wildlife rehabilitation center. We are happy to announce that the photo sold for $66.00 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem! We have selected Wildlife Rehabilitator, Julie Miller http://virtuallyjulie.com/wildlife_rehab.htm as the recipient of the auctions earnings. Thank you to the winning bidder, Jean DiMare of Meadow Vista, CA, for supporting Oklahoma wildlife.
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FEBRUARY T-SHIRT CONTEST WINNER |
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This month's winners are....Danny and Sharon Keener of Choctaw, Oklahoma. Danny and Sharon will receive a $50 Skulls Unlimited gift certificate. To enter the Skulls Unlimited T-shirt Contest simply send us a color photograph, or digital image showing you or someone you know wearing one of our t-shirts. Originality will count, so choose a pose in front of a well known landmark, at your job, exotic regions of the world, in the classroom or just lounging around. Each entry will receive a gift certificate for $9.95. We will choose a new winner each month. To learn more about the t-shirt contest or to see previous entries, visit,
http://www.skullsunlimited.com/t-shirt_contest.html.
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Keener's Taxidermy
Danny & Sharon Keener
Choctaw, Oklahoma
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FEATURED EMPLOYEE |
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Josh Villemarette
Production Assistant |
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Villemarette, like his brother Jay Jr., has been working in some fashion for Skulls Unlimited for much of his life. Josh assists in many production duties including flensing, de-braining and general maintenance....To read more about Josh and the rest of the Skulls Unlimited crew, go to: http://www.skullsunlimited.com/employees.htm
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MUSEUM OF OSTEOLOGY CHALLENGE |
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The Museum of Osteology Challenge is a chance for all of you skull enthusiasts to show off the size of your craniums. The Museum of Osteology, although not yet open to the public, houses a large collection of rare and unique skull specimens. Each month, this newsletter will feature a new photograph of a specimen. The first three individuals that can correctly identify the pictured specimen will win one of our new Skulls Unlimited Est. in 1986 t-shirts and have their names posted in the next newsletter. Winners will be the envy of all their skull collecting friends! This contest is open to all ages. Only one guess per individual, per month will be accepted. Guesses must include the animal's common, genus and species names. (Example: Human, Homo sapiens) Email your answers to: education@skullsunlimited.com
This month's mystery skull measures 36.5 inches (92.7cm) long.
Last month's Museum of Osteology Challenge answer was: Spectacled Bear, Tremarctos ornatus. The winners were: Rene Bobe of Georgia, Michel Bourque of Quebec and Jon Mikosz of Michigan. Congratulations to these winners and good luck to everyone this month!
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Click Image For A Larger View
Mystery Skull Image 1
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Mystery Skull Image 2
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Mystery Skull Image 3
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FEATURED ITEM |
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White-thighed Hornbill Skull
Bycanistes (Ceratogymna) albotibialis
The white-thighed hornbill is native to regions of West Africa. Like most hornbills, this species is omnivorous feeding on fruits, nuts, insects and small vertebrates. Some authors consider this to be a subspecies of the Brown-cheeked hornbill, Bycanistes cylindricus. Casque size and shape may vary.
Order Online with our secure shopping cart at www.skullsunlimited.com/seasonal_sales.html
Order by phone at 1800-659-SKULL or 405-794-9300
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Click Image For A Larger View
WLQ-301 White-thighed Hornbill Skull
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NEW ITEM |
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WBC-146 Elephant Bird Skull
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Elephant Bird
Aepyornis maximus
The elephant bird is considered the largest bird to have ever lived. Existing for 60 million years in Madagascar, the elephant bird was extinct by the 16th century. A relative of the ratites, flightless birds like the ostrich and emu, this huge herbivore measured nearly 10 feet tall and weighed up to 1,000 pounds.
| WBC-146 | Museum Quality: $360.00 |
Order Online with our secure shopping cart at www.skullsunlimited.com/struthioniformes.htm
Order by phone at 1800-659-SKULL or 405-794-9300
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NEW ITEM |
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Three-banded Armadillo
Tolypeutes sp.
There are two species of three-banded armadillos native to South America. They inhabit grasslands, marshes, dry forests and savannah regions. As a defensive measure, three-banded armadillos have the ability to roll completely into a ball. This solitary species uses its strong digging ability to feed on a variety of ants and termites by digging them out of their mounds.
| WTQ-126S Skeleton | Teaching Quality: $495.00 |
| WTQ-126 Skull | Teaching Quality: $44.00 |
Order Online with our secure shopping cart at www.skullsunlimited.com/xenarthra.htm
Order by phone at 1800-659-SKULL or 405-794-9300
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Click Image For A Larger View
WTQ-126S Three-banded Armadillo
View Skeleton and Shell
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NEW ITEM |
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WTQ-010 Six-banded Armadillo Skull
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Six-banded Armadillo
Euphractus sexcinctus
The six-banded armadillo inhabits grassland and savannah regions of South America east of the Andes mountains. This omnivorous species feeds on plant material such as bromeliad fruit, tubers and palm nuts. Vegetation comprises up to 90% of its diet. Six-banded armadillos also eat insects, such as ants and termites, carrion, and small vertebrates.
| WTQ-010 | Teaching Quality: $44.00 |
Order Online with our secure shopping cart at www.skullsunlimited.com/xenarthra.htm
Order by phone at 1800-659-SKULL or 405-794-9300
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NEW ITEM |
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Pichi Dwarf Armadillo
Zaedyus pichiy
The pichi dwarf armadillo inhabits grasslands and arid regions of Chile, Southern Argentina, and Patagonia. This species is generally nocturnal and solitary. The pichi's diet consists of insects, worms, carrion, and some plant matter.
| WTQ-134 Skull | Teaching Quality: $44.00 |
Order Online with our secure shopping cart at www.skullsunlimited.com/xenarthra.htm
Order by phone at 1800-659-SKULL or 405-794-9300
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Click Image For A Larger View
WTQ-134 Pichi Dwarf Armadillo
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NEW ITEM |
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WTQ-298 Large Hairy Armadillo Skull
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Large Hairy Armadillo
Chaetophractus villosus
The large hairy armadillo inhabits open semi-deserted regions of northern Paraguay, southern Bolivia and central Argentina. Hairy armadillos are more nocturnal during summer to avoid heat. This species uses its powerful digging ability to burrow and search for food. Hairy armadillos are omnivorous, feeding on insects, invertebrates, small vertebrates, plants and carrion. Over half this species food consumption consists of vegetation during the winter.
| WTQ-298 | Teaching Quality: $66.00 |
Order Online with our secure shopping cart at www.skullsunlimited.com/xenarthra.htm
Order by phone at 1800-659-SKULL or 405-794-9300
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Stay tuned for the March 2007 SUI newsletter featuring museum updates, new products and Skulls Unlimited news. |
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