WILDLIFE FORENSICS CSI FOR WILDLIFE http www fotowolfie

WILDLIFE FORENSICS CSI FOR WILDLIFE http: //www. fotowolfie. com/blog/images/20061006220751_dsc_3423. jpg

The student will: Ø Identify the various types of skull and jaw bones in their evidence sample Ø Utilize different types of dichotomous keys Ø Identify different types of animal hair as to species type Ø Solve the forensic crime Ø Interpret a topographic map

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

Skull Anatomy Zygomatic arch – formed from 2 slender bony processes (one from the temporal bone and one from the maxilla)

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

Teeth Identification u Incisors – smaller more vertical teeth on center front of jaw (purple) u Canines – longer more pointed teeth (green)

u Premolars - flatter teeth behind the canines (pink) u Molars – teeth further back in jaw (aqua) u Diastema – gap in teeth at canines (between green and purple) Teeth ID

Kinds of molars Seleodont: found in herbivores; have ridges Bunodont: found in omnivores; have 4 cusps Carnassial: found in carnivores; fit together, shearing edges

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

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

Raccoon skull and hair examples

Bear- omnivore u u u Large canines and molars Small vestigial teeth behind canines Long, massive skull: narrow muzzle Large jaw hinge for muscle attachment Obvious sagittal crest Vestigial teeth

Bear- skull and hair samples Hair Coats can be yellow, black and blue grey

Skunk - 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 samples u Hair examples

Opossum - 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 samples u Hair examples

Cat family- carnivores

Bobcat - carnivore Teeth: Sharp, pointed canines Skull: Short round Large eye orbits

Bobcat – skull and hair samples u Cat hair samples

Dog family - carnivore

Grey Fox - carnivore Long snout, lyre-shaped parasagittal crest with a flat area between

Red Fox skull and hair samples Red Fox- carnivore

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

Beaver u Hair examples

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

Rabbits- skull and hair sample Hair sample

White tailed deer- herbivore Teeth u No upper incisors u Long diastema u Selenodant teeth

Deer hair examples Hollow brittle hair When folded in half forms a teepee or breaks http: //www. iamaweb. com/ Animal_Hair/Beaver _image_menu. html

Skull Recap u Identify the skulls that follow: Bear

Raccoon

Rabbit

Deer

Bobcat

Beaver

Fox

opossum

Skunk

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are causing a mapping revolution. GIS makes it possible to combine layers of digital data from different sources and to manipulate and analyze how the different layers relate to each other.

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

Contour Lines u Portray the shape and elevation of the land u Topographic maps show the threedimensional ups and downs of the terrain on a twodimensional surface.

Each contour is equal to a line of equal elevationcontours never cross u Topographic contours are shown in brown by lines of different width. They show the general shape of the terrain. u

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

Scale and Colors of Topographic Maps 1: 24, 000 means 1 in =2000 ft Red areas represent urban areas. Roads and highways are represented in black and red.

Blue represents water u Green represents orchards and forested areas. u Purple markings are those that have been "photorevised, " or added to the map since the original map was published. u

Thin brown lines represent contours or points of similar elevation. u Contour lines form "v" shapes in valleys or along stream beds. The point of the "v" points uphill. u

Topographic maps u http: //www. topozone. com/map. asp? lat=40. 0122&lon=79. 07727&datum=nad 27&layer=DRG