WILDLIFE FORENSICS CSI FOR WILDLIFE

WILDLIFE WILDLIFE FORENSICSFORENSICSCSI FOR WILDLIFECSI FOR WILDLIFE

http://www.fotowolfie.com/blog/images/20061006220751_dsc_3423.jpg

The student will:The student will:

Identify the various types of skull and jaw bones in their evidence sample

Utilize different types of dichotomous keys

Identify different types of animal hair as to species type

Solve the forensic crime Interpret a topographic map

Skull AnatomySkull Anatomy

Foramen Foramen magnum magnum – large – large opening in the opening in the base of skull, base of skull, spinal cord spinal cord passes throughpasses through

Foramen magnum

Skull AnatomySkull AnatomyZygomatic archZygomatic arch – formed from 2 slender bony processes – formed from 2 slender bony processes

(one from the temporal bone and one from the maxilla)(one from the temporal bone and one from the maxilla)

Sagittal crest Sagittal crest - thin ridge of bone atop and down the braincase

Sagittal Crest

Teeth IdentificationTeeth Identification

IncisorsIncisors – smaller – smaller more vertical teeth more vertical teeth on center front of on center front of jaw jaw (purple)(purple)

CaninesCanines – longer – longer more pointed teethmore pointed teeth

(green)(green)

Teeth IDTeeth ID PremolarsPremolars - flatter - flatter

teeth behind the teeth behind the canines canines (pink)(pink)

MolarsMolars – teeth – teeth further back in jaw further back in jaw (aqua)(aqua)

DiastemaDiastema – gap in – gap in teeth at canines teeth at canines (between (between green green and and purplepurple))

Kinds of molarsKinds of molars

Bunodont: found in omnivores; have 4 cusps

Seleodont: found in herbivores;have ridges

Carnassial: found in carnivores;fit together, shearing edges

Raccoon - omnivoreRaccoon - omnivore

•Facial region is short/wide•Facial length < cranial length•Male skull: 94-125 mm•Female skull: 90-115 mm•Weak sagittal crest

Raccoon skullRaccoon skull

Dental fromula = 3/3 I: 1/1 C: 4/4 P: 2/2 M

Raccoon skull and hair examplesRaccoon skull and hair examples

Bear- omnivoreBear- omnivore Large canines and Large canines and

molarsmolars Small vestigial Small vestigial

teeth behind teeth behind caninescanines

Long, massive Long, massive skull: narrow skull: narrow muzzlemuzzle

Large jaw hinge Large jaw hinge for muscle for muscle attachmentattachment

Obvious sagittal Obvious sagittal crestcrest

Vestigial teeth

Bear- skull and hair samples Bear- skull and hair samples

HairHairCoats can be Coats can be yellow, black yellow, black and blue greyand blue grey

Skunk - omnivoreSkunk - omnivore

•Long, oval shaped skull•Upper jaw somewhat square•1 back molar in upper jaw (most carnivores have 2)2 back molars in lower jaw

Skunk skull and hair samplesSkunk skull and hair samples Hair examplesHair examples

Opossum - omnivoreOpossum - omnivore

•Long snouts, narrow braincase•Prominent sagittal crest•Small incisors, large canines, tricusp molars•Lots of teeth compared to most animals

Opossum- skull and hair samplesOpossum- skull and hair samples

Hair Hair examplesexamples

Cat family- carnivoresCat family- carnivores

Bobcat - carnivoreBobcat - carnivore

Teeth: Teeth: Sharp, pointedSharp, pointed

caninescanines

Skull:Skull:

Short roundShort round

Large eye Large eye orbitsorbits

Bobcat – skull and hair samplesBobcat – skull and hair samples

Cat hair samplesCat hair samples

Dog family - carnivoreDog family - carnivore

Grey Fox - carnivoreGrey Fox - carnivore

Long snout, lyre-shaped parasagittal crestwith a flat area between

Red Fox skull and hair samplesRed Fox skull and hair samples

Red Fox- carnivoreRed Fox- carnivore

Beaver- herbivoreBeaver- herbivore

•Second largest rodent•Very large incisors—continually grow•Very large diastema—no canines•Shape of nasal bones square off the snout

BeaverBeaver

Hair examplesHair examples

Rabbits - herbivoreRabbits - herbivore•Teeth: Two pair of incisors; one large and the 2nd small and peg like•Lacy mesh-like bones

Rabbits- skull and hair sampleRabbits- skull and hair sample

Hair sampleHair sample

White tailed deer- herbivoreWhite tailed deer- herbivore

TeethTeethNo upper No upper

incisorsincisorsLong Long

diastemadiastemaSelenodant Selenodant

teethteeth

Deer hair examplesDeer hair examples

Hollow brittle hairHollow brittle hair

When foldedWhen folded

in half forms in half forms

a teepee or breaksa teepee or breaks

http://www.iamaweb.com/Animal_Hair/Beaver/Beaver_image_menu.html

Skull RecapSkull Recap Identify the skulls that follow:Identify the skulls that follow:

Bear

Raccoon

Rabbit

Deer

Bobcat

Beaver

Fox

opossum

Skunk

Geographic Information Systems Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are causing a mapping (GIS) are causing a mapping

revolution.revolution. GIS makes it GIS makes it

possible to possible to combine layers of combine layers of digital data from digital data from different sources different sources and to manipulate and to manipulate and analyze how and analyze how the different layers the different layers relate to each relate to each other. other.

Crime solvingCrime solving

Police investigators Police investigators link police record link police record systems with systems with geographic geographic information to information to analyze crime analyze crime patterns and help patterns and help solve cases. solve cases.

Contour LinesContour Lines

Portray the shape and Portray the shape and elevation of the landelevation of the land

Topographic maps Topographic maps show the three-show the three-dimensional ups dimensional ups and downs of the and downs of the terrain on a two-terrain on a two-dimensional dimensional surface. surface.

Each contour is Each contour is equal to a line of equal to a line of equal elevation- equal elevation- contours never contours never crosscross

Topographic Topographic contours are shown contours are shown in brown by lines of in brown by lines of different width. different width. They show the They show the general shape of general shape of the terrain. the terrain.

Contours that Contours that are very close are very close together together represent steep represent steep slopes. Widely slopes. Widely spaced contours spaced contours or an absence of or an absence of contours means contours means that the ground that the ground slope is slope is relatively level. relatively level.

Scale and Colors of Topographic Scale and Colors of Topographic MapsMaps

1:24,000 means 1 1:24,000 means 1 in =2000 ftin =2000 ft

Red areas Red areas represent urban represent urban areas.areas.

Roads and Roads and highways are highways are represented in represented in black and red. black and red.

Blue represents Blue represents

waterwater Green represents Green represents

orchards and orchards and forested areas. forested areas.

Purple markings Purple markings are those that have are those that have been been "photorevised," or "photorevised," or added to the map added to the map since the original since the original map was map was published. published.

Thin brown lines Thin brown lines represent contours represent contours or points of similar or points of similar elevation. elevation.

Contour lines form Contour lines form "v" shapes in "v" shapes in valleys or along valleys or along stream beds. The stream beds. The point of the "v" point of the "v" points uphill. points uphill.

Topographic mapsTopographic maps

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=40.0122&lon=-79.07727&datum=nad27&layer=DRG