Met this guy today. His right horn is covered in tiny white mushrooms.
I was tipped off to the location of this amazing ram’s skull via local mycology group and had to go out and find it to see it for myself and take photos. It’s up in Snowdonia National Park near Machynlleth, Wales, UK, where I live and really did take some getting to, but it was worth it as you can see!
The mushroom variety on the horn is ‘horn stalkball’ or Onygena Equina, which ONLY grows on decaying horns and hooves, as it requires keratin to grow. According to the National Biodiversity Atlas, there have been only 85 recorded sightings in the UK.
These images seem to have resonated with many people and understandably so as this is a powerfully symbolic find; full of the beauty and poetry of the dance between life and death.
All photos are by me except the mushroom close-ups which I have permission to share but the photographer has chosen not to be credited. If you share any of these photos please credit my Instagram @pennytristram and please contact me before using them for any commercial project.
Photo prints available here.
