Taphonomic Signature of Animal Scavenging

Lisa Bright 
Anthropology Department Graduate Student 

Graduate student Lisa Bright, whose specialty is forensic anthropology, presents her research regarding wildlife scavenging. The research is in the area of taphonomy, which is what happens to a body from the point of death until discovery. She arranged to have several dead pigs placed in various areas in the mountains above Chico, with a video camera focused on each. Ms. Bright then recorded the daytime and nocturnal approaches of various animals to the pig carcasses. The result is some fascinating video footage, including visits by bears and other predators. She used the videos along with analysis of the carcass bones to determine scavenging patterns. 

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Recorded: November 29, 2010