Spatial patterning of vulture scavenged human remains

• 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
• ISSN: 0379-0738; 1872-6283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2011.11.030

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.