What kind of bone is this, please?

March 14, 2018 8:10 PM

I found a bone on my local beach. I'm mildly curious as to what it is, and of course if it is human I need to notify the police. Can the hivemind take a peek and at least let me know I'm not about to cameo in a CSI episode?

Here is a picture with my library card (standard Visa card size) for scale

Another

And another.

posted by The otter lady to Science & Nature (8 answers total)

Best answer: Definitely not a human bone; I'd guess some kind of sea mammal, like a seal.
posted by Illuminated Clocks at 8:24 PM on March 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Are there seals in your area? My partner says it looks like a pinniped bone, probably a humerus.
posted by tobascodagama at 8:25 PM on March 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

It’s not human, but I’m not sure what it’s from.
posted by Missense Mutation at 8:25 PM on March 14, 2018

Response by poster: Ooh! We definitely have seals and seal lions out here! Neat!! THANK YOU!
posted by The otter lady at 8:30 PM on March 14, 2018

Best answer: It's not human. 100%

I agree, probably some marine mammal like a seal. Pretty sure it's a femur (edit to add: left femur). Judging by the yellowness, it's not terribly weathered, either.
posted by cyclopticgaze at 8:31 PM on March 14, 2018 [3 favorites]

For what its worth, I agree, definitely not human, looks like marine mammal. Do you have elephant seals there?
posted by WalkerWestridge at 9:39 PM on March 14, 2018

Response by poster: I'm on Whidbey Island, off the coast near Seattle, Puget Sound-- I don't think we have elephant seals, but we do have sea lions and harbor seals. (I saw a sea lion just off a nearby beach who was "sailing" about 20 feet from shore, and I've seen harbor seals hurry into the water along the beach where I found the bone.) I was really expecting it to be a ham or cow part, or possibly from a deer-- sea mammal is very cool! There's a whale museum here, I'll take it by there and see if they'd like to add it to their collection. Thank you, Metafilter!
posted by The otter lady at 10:01 PM on March 14, 2018 [4 favorites]

There's a whale museum here, I'll take it by there and see if they'd like to add it to their collection. Thank you, Metafilter!

I was just about to suggest this, but you're way ahead of me! If they don't want it, I bet PT Marine Science Center would.

Also: WOAH WAY COOL FIND. I've seen a few bones on the beach and I should have paid closer attention.
posted by loquacious at 1:37 AM on March 15, 2018 [2 favorites]