Uncovering forensic taphonomic agents: animal scavenging in the European context

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dc.contributor.authorIndra, Lara
dc.contributor.authorErrickson, David
dc.contributor.authorYoung, Alexandria
dc.contributor.authorLösch, Sandra
dc.date.accessioned2022-05-04T08:11:44Z
dc.date.available2022-05-04T08:11:44Z
dc.date.issued2022-04-15
dc.description.abstractAnimal scavenging by vertebrates can significantly alter human bodies and their deposition site. For instance, vertebrate animals can cause postmortem modification to a body, alter perimortem trauma, influence decomposition rates, disarticulate and scatter body parts or evidence, and affect the identification of the deceased. Animal scavenging is a relatively common occurrence in forensic investigations. Even so, studies on the subject are scattered and rare, with most focussing on geographical areas outside of Europe. For that reason, we intend to collate the literature to provide an account of forensically relevant vertebrate scavengers in Europe, their impacts on human remains, and their implications for forensic investigations. Here, we provide an overview of forensic aspects where the knowledge of animal scavenging is crucial, as well as an account of potential scavengers of human remains in Europe and their typical alterations to soft tissue and, in particular, to bones. In addition, we are the first to provide a guide for forensic practitioners to identify the presence of vertebrate scavenging and subsequently inform outdoor search strategies for affected human remains.en_UK
dc.identifier.citationIndra L, Errickson D, Young A, Lösch S. (2022) Uncovering forensic taphonomic agents: animal scavenging in the European context. Evolutionary Biology, Volume 11, Issue 4, April 2022, Article number 601en_UK
dc.identifier.issn0071-3260
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.3390/biology11040601
dc.identifier.urihttp://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/17850
dc.language.isoenen_UK
dc.publisherMDPIen_UK
dc.rightsAttribution 4.0 International*
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/*
dc.subjectforensic anthropologyen_UK
dc.subjectscavengingen_UK
dc.subjecttaphonomyen_UK
dc.subjectbone lesionsen_UK
dc.subjecttooth marksen_UK
dc.titleUncovering forensic taphonomic agents: animal scavenging in the European contexten_UK
dc.typeArticleen_UK

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