Expert: Walter Hintz - 1/12/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi Walter



I mentioned to a friend in the USA that I had been searching for the answer to the following mystery for some conciderable time, she suggested you may have the answer or suggest who may be able to help me



I am trying to obtain information about some strange white substance I found while on holiday in the Algarve, If you can help me or suggest anyone who can I would be very grateful



My wife and I have just returned from a most enjoyable holiday in the Western Algarve region of Portugal, April 2007, we stayed in Pria da Luz, where the little girl was abducted.



During our stay we visited Pria da Ingrina near Sagres (in the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina) and while exploring the right hand side of the bay, see black arrow.



http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/kostas3/Holiday/Ingrina-3.jpg



We noticed, among the rocks and rough ground at various points on the ground, piles of a white substance that always seemed to be piled upon or near a plant. The white substance consisted of cylinders about 2 mm dia. and about 5mm long.



If you touched them they fall off the plant and if gently squeezed break up into small balls of a solid white crystalline substance, see enlarged photo.



I attach photographs of typical piles of the substance and a blow up of it. If you require any further information please ask.



http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/kostas3/Holiday/White-Cyl-Enlarged.jpg



http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/kostas3/Holiday/White-Cyl-Ful-Size.jpg



http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/kostas3/Holiday/Ingrina-4.jpg



This is a more general photo of the typical vegetation in the area



http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/kostas3/Holiday/Ingrina.jpg





I must stress that the material appeared to be a mineral rather than a vegetable or fungus



I wondered if it was the excretion from some animal and the piles are the animal’s midden (toilet).  Sheep’s droppings look rather like this although much larger and a different colour



There where many ants on the ground but none seemed to be directly associated with the white material.



If you know what it is or where I can find the answer I would be most interested.  What animal would excrete this and how would it appear so white?





I look forward to hearing from you.  



Best regards



Neil Carruthers



ANSWER: Hello neil
the Ocean between us makes it quite difficult for me to arrive at any conclusions from observing a photo of something. there is no way for me to study the chemiatry of the material.  I can only tell what I think it is not. To me it does not appear to be organic in composition.  I do not think it is animal droppings: I know of none that are white like this.  It almost looks like packing material that has absorbed water and been dropped there by wave action. I am sure it has nothing to do with insects.
I am afraid that taht os all I can say without actually seeing and feeling the material
walter


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Walter
Thank you for your reply it is much appreciated.  At the time I never thought of collecting samples, I may go to the same place again this year and will collect samples if the material is still there and submit them to you.
I appreciate how difficult it is for you not having samples,however due to the comparatively large number of these piles of material and their location on top of certain plants with large bare patches in between as can be seen on one of the photos I can assure you it is not packing material washed up from the sea.
I think I need a eureka moment where someone somewhere has seen this material before and can recognize it.
It is driving me crazy
Thanks again for your prompt reply and I will not bother you again unless I can collect a sample
Just as a final point, do you have any contacts in Portugal where I could possibly get a bit closer to someone who may have an answer.  I would contact the National Parks of Portugal but have not been able to find a e-mail address that works

Thanks

Neil Carruthers

Answer
I have no connections in Portugal but I did some searching and discovered that there is The University of Algarve in Faro taht is know for its programs in Marine Biology.  Why not google it and contact them to ask for some answers from biologist there
walter