Strange animal on interstate

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by TKO

Ground squirrels o'plenty but no ground hogs. Too dry and hot and no woods.

Interesting. Thanks.

[Marie Joseph]

Could it have been a prairie dog?

I concur that it would not have been a groundhog since they need lots of green stuff to eat and woods so wouldn't be found in a desert.

Prairie dogs do range into the desert areas though.

[TKO]

Originally Posted by timberline742

It would surprise me if you didn't have woodchucks/groundhogs, but the description fits it to a T.

Originally Posted by Marie Joseph

Could it have been a prairie dog?

I concur that it would not have been a groundhog since they need lots of green stuff to eat and woods so wouldn't be found in a desert.

Prairie dogs do range into the desert areas though.

That is a possibility. I think badger or porcupine sounds most likely. Maybe it had already been hit once? Poor thing regardless

[BLMAngus]

I'm thinking "fat badger".


Several years ago, we did see one west of Socorro, NM.

[BMI]

Javelina ?

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by BMI

Javelina ?

That is also a possibility.

[frankrj]

Originally Posted by TKO

You have to go to the high country to finds marmots in NM. Nowhere near cruces.

Did it have much of a tail?

Not much of a tail that I noticed. I focused on how it moved/squirmed.
I just saw a video of a Marmot. The fur and plumpness does resemble it but then the Marmot walks kind of low. Perhaps when it gets to road pavement it appears to waddle more like someone lying face down using their elbows to move?

[chiluvr1228]

Whatever it is/was I hope it's no longer suffering. :-(

[Deserterer]

Originally Posted by frankrj

Driving from Las Cruces on the I-10. At this point, we were on flat road in day light

Where? Exactly where. 20 minutes from where?