Animal activity

one of the most destructive post-mortem processes

Lots of variables

time of the day

Time of the season

Temperature

Location of the body

inside

outdoor

environment

rural

urban

aquatic

Sections of the body attacked

First

Abdomen

Chest

Buttocks

Throat

Second

disarticulation of limbs

forelimbs

vertebral column

the last part remaining

tend to focus on the soft tissue

leave distinctive marks on bones

punctures

pits

scores

furrows

Transport bones

at distance

depending

size of the animal

surrounding environment

can cause intense damage to immersed bodies

Sometimes damage from fish can be mistaken for peri-mortem trauma

see report

Dr Agathe Ribereau-Gayon

sharks traces look like plane crash injuries

remove the soft tissues causing massive tissue loss

Most damage through

flies

maggots

little beetles

The destruction of the body by insects

good indicator of

Post Mortem Interval

see the Website

Forensic Entomology

remove soft tissues

can mimic

entrance wounds

defense wounds

gnaw bones

leave parallel flat-bottomed grooves (striae) from their central incisors

scavenge human remains

crows

vultures

etc.

eyes

can be mistaken for

sadistic murder

ritual

patterns

fluffy

stringy

patterns slightly different

wild animals

Dogs & Cats

focus on soft tissues

face

head

ignore clothed areas

can eat through

clavicles

ribcage

can eat viscera

which can mask the cause of death

can displace bones

from the grave

difficult to assess

if the burial is

modern

ancient