(Functioning) Memory stick found in frozen seal faeces in New Zealand

[muriel_volestrangler]

A slab of seal poo used for scientific research in New Zealand has led to the unlikely discovery of a USB stick full of holiday snaps.

The sample, known as scat, had been stored for over a year before being thawed out.
...
The sample was submitted by a vet who had been monitoring a sickly-looking leopard seal on Oreti Beach, Invercargill, on New Zealand's South Island.

The device was in good condition "considering where it had come from", the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) said on its website.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-47135528

Link to tweet

This was all happening when they discovered something large and hard. Concealed deep inside the scat was a USB stick. Jodie was not impressed.

“It is very worrying that these amazing Antarctic animals have plastic like this inside them.”

But the memory stick was in reasonably good condition considering where it had come from. So they left it to dry out for the next couple of weeks in the hope they may be able to see what information it contained.
...
If they’re yours and you want the USB stick back, it comes with a price. The leopard seal researchers would like some more leopard seal scat please.

https://www.niwa.co.nz/news/they-were-defrosting-leopard-seal-pooyou-wont-believe-what-happened-next

The pun used in the BBC RSS feed was "poo stick" - but I don't know if 'poohsticks', from the Winnie-the-Pooh books, is a common enough term for that to work on DU.

[d_r]

1. I love playing Pooh Sticks nt

[mbusby]

2. Nothing better...

...than poo on a stick.

[Stuart G]

3. I thought that I had seen it all, but no, there is more...!!!!! k and r...

[ret5hd]

4. Do the pictures look like shit?

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Mystery owner of the frozen seal poo USB fronts up

Now the identity of that person can be revealed: seal fanatic Amanda Nally. She got in touch with The Project after one of the USB's videos of seals frolicking around a kayak was released, recognising it as her own footage.

"The minute The Project promo came up, I was walking from one room to another and went 'Holy shit, that looks like...'"
...
"I feel bad here because I feel like I'm ruining a really good story. The truth is I am quite seal-focused and I found the leopard seal out at Oreti Beach, and I'm guessing I dropped the USB stick in the seal poo on the beach."
...
"I'm surprised more people didn't come and tell you who I was, because I have bored all my friends and family with that video."

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2019/02/exclusive-mystery-owner-of-the-frozen-seal-poo-usb-fronts-up.html