Spatial patterning of vulture scavenged human remains

Abstract This article presents the results of a pilot study on the effects of vulture modification to human remains. A donated body from the Willed Body Donation Program was placed at the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF), an outdoor human decomposition laboratory located at Texas State...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Forensic science international 2012-06, Vol.219 (1), p.57-63
Main Authors: Spradley, M. Katherine, Hamilton, Michelle D, Giordano, Alberto
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accuracy
Adult
Animal scavenging
Animals
Behavior
Biological and medical sciences
Birds
Bones
Carnivora
Delay
Dispersion
Falconiformes
Feeding Behavior
Female
Forensic Anthropology
Forensic engineering
Forensic medicine
Forensic Pathology
Forensic sciences
General aspects
Geographic Information Systems
GIS
Global Positioning System
Global positioning systems
GPS
Human
Human remains
Humans
Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects)
Medical sciences
Pathology
Patterning
Pilot Projects
Postmortem interval estimation
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Remote sensing
Satellite navigation systems
Scavenging
Time Factors
Vultures
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Summary:Abstract This article presents the results of a pilot study on the effects of vulture modification to human remains. A donated body from the Willed Body Donation Program was placed at the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF), an outdoor human decomposition laboratory located at Texas State University-San Marcos. The effects of vulture scavenging on the timing and sequence, and the rate of skeletonization, disarticulation, and dispersal were observed via a motion sensing camera and direct observation. Using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and GPS (Global Positioning System) technologies and spatial analytical methods, the transport of skeletal elements was mapped in order to analyze dispersal and terrain-influenced patterns of active vulture scavenging. Results showed that the initial scavenging took place 37 days after placement at FARF. This delay in scavenging differs from previous research [1] . After the initial appearance of the vultures, the body was reduced from a fully-fleshed individual to a skeleton within only 5 h. This underscores the potential for errors in postmortem interval estimations made at vulture scavenged scenes. Additionally, spatial analysis showed that skeletal elements were dispersed by vultures to lower elevations, and that the disarticulation and dispersal of the skeletal elements occurs early in the scavenging sequence.
ISSN:0379-0738
1872-6283
DOI:10.1016/j.forsciint.2011.11.030