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Forensic taphonomy: Scavenger-induced scattering patterns in the temperate southwestern Cape, South Africa — A first look
Abstract
The effect of vertebrate scavenging can drastically alter the rate of decomposition and cause skeletal scatter, which hinders human forensic recovery and identification. Patterns of scavenging, disarticulation and scatter in a forensic context are specific to different environments with no known data for South Africa. A better understanding of these patterns can increase the chances of full body recovery and improve identification of human remains. In this preliminary study, the effect of wild vertebrate scavenging on skeletal scatter was examined using a porcine model in the forensically significant thicketed Cape Flats Dune Strandveld habitat. This area is a densely populated part of Cape Town, which suffers from poor socioeconomic conditions and a high murder rate. Ethics was granted for the use of three small (∼20kg) domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) carcasses as proxies for human decomposition. They were deployed in Delft, Cape Town, and observed by motion-activated cameras to record wild scavenger activity. One pig served as a control and was caged to prevent vertebrate but not invertebrate access; the other two served as experimental treatments. Scatter was recorded every second day by marking the location of skeletal elements and measuring the distance and angle from the centre of each deposition site. No scattering was observed in the control, but notable scattering patterns were observed in the experimental pigs due to Cape grey mongoose (Galerella pulverulenta)…
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For four experiments, there was one scavenging and one scattering publication each: King et al., Pharr et al., Spies et al., and Young et al.
“For four of these experiments, we found one scavenging and one scattering publication each: King et al. [57,58], Pharr et al. [76,78], Spies et al. [18,93] and Young et al. [19,103].”
From Forensic experiments on animal scavenging: A systematic literature review on what we have and what we need (2023) · cites this paper as [93]
In 3.8% (3/79) of the reviewed publications, visit frequency increased after scavenging or dispersal occurred.
“In 3.8% (3/79) of the publications, the visit frequency increased after scavenging or dispersal occurred [68,89,93].”
From Forensic experiments on animal scavenging: A systematic literature review on what we have and what we need (2023) · cites this paper as [93]
3.8% (3/79) of the reviewed studies mention stunning methods such as electricity.
“3.8% (3/79) of the studies mention stunning methods such as electricity [18,74,93].”
From Forensic experiments on animal scavenging: A systematic literature review on what we have and what we need (2023) · cites this paper as [93]
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Research works printed but not linked: 21
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Indra, L., Lösch, S., Errickson, D., & Finaughty, D. (2023) · Forensic Science International · doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2023.111862 · Cited by 18
Self-citation
Metadata
- Authors
- Spies, M. J., Finaughty, D. A., & Gibbon, V. E.
- Affiliations
- University of Cape Town (ZA)
- Corresponding author
- Spies, Maximilian J.
- Venue
- Forensic Science International
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-09
- Volume
- 290
- Pages
- 29-35
- ISSN
- 0379-0738 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2809029233
- Cited by
- 32
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4
- FWCI
- 2.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Forensic Science International (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- South African National Research Foundation
- University of Cape Town
- National Research Foundation (44-3658)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Insect Science › Forensic Entomology and Diptera Studies
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology (arts and humanities) › Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Autopsy Techniques and Outcomes
- Keywords
- forensic taphonomy, human remains recovery, porcine model, human decomposition, skeletonization, disarticulation, personal identification
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Feeding Behavior, Herpestidae, Postmortem Changes, South Africa, Swine, Forensic Anthropology, Models, Animal, Forensic Pathology
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