Fieldwork Travelogue: The Mummified Fauna of Natural Trap Cave #NTCave15

Though it was nearly two weeks ago that I left Natural Trap Cave, there are still things I’d like to post about it.

One of the fascinating things about the cave is that it is, in fact, a natural trap. Though there is a grate over the top preventing large animals from falling in, small animals still drop in regularly.

Case in point: Packy le Pew, a poor packrat that fell in during the field season in 2014.

The #NTCave14 mascot, Packy le Pew, who shows how the cave is still accumulating a record of life and death. pic.twitter.com/0LdK43jCT7

— Brian Switek (@Laelaps) August 5, 2014

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Packy was moved out of the way and protected by a little wire cage.

The #NTCave14 mascot, Packy le Pew, is now an experiment in taphomomy. Looking forward to seeing him next year! pic.twitter.com/1v2jFtCCzN

— John Logsdon (@johnlogsdon) August 8, 2014

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Now he’s an experiment in taphonomy: how long does it take for something that falls into the cave to become de-fleshed and buried?

Packy le Pew isn’t the only dessicated animal remains to be found in the cave.

We have a couple of birds

Occasional mice

A bunny

And snakes (why’d it have to be snakes?)

Not everything that falls in dies. Last year, a mouse fell in and was rescued and brought back to the surface by the crew.

And somehow, there also appears to be a population of mice and rats still living in the cave, making us suspect strongly that there are other entrances too small for humans to get in.

Who knows what else we’ll find next year.