Exploring Scavenging Behavior of Bobcats (<i>Lynx rufus)</i> in the Middle Tennessee Area and Its Forensic Implications
(1) Background: Scavenger activity can pose significant challenges in forensic investigations. When examining damage on a victim, forensic investigators must first determine whether the damage resulted from human actions or animal scavenging. Accordingly, knowledge of the scavenger populations inhab...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Forensic Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6756/5/2/24 |
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| author | Yangseung Jeong Aaron Gatewood Eun Jin Woo |
| author_facet | Yangseung Jeong Aaron Gatewood Eun Jin Woo |
| author_sort | Yangseung Jeong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Background: Scavenger activity can pose significant challenges in forensic investigations. When examining damage on a victim, forensic investigators must first determine whether the damage resulted from human actions or animal scavenging. Accordingly, knowledge of the scavenger populations inhabiting a specific region and their scavenging behaviors is essential for accurately reconstructing the environmental context of the remains and interpreting associated taphonomic evidence in forensic investigations. (2) Methods: This study investigates the scavenging behavior of bobcats (<i>Lynx rufus</i>), a species native to North America, under controlled experimental conditions. The authors placed the carcasses of seven adult white-tailed deer in an outdoor field in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and systematically documented the scavenging activities. (3) Results: Bobcats were observed to primarily scavenge soft tissue from the torso, focusing on musculature while generally avoiding bony regions. When unsatisfied with the torso, they shifted attention to the upper limbs, with minimal interest shown in the head or neck. Bobcats also exhibited a tendency to feed in a single area for extended periods, leading to concentrated damage in specific locations on the remains. (4) Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that bobcats can significantly influence the postmortem conditions of remains, producing characteristic patterns of modification. Recognizing these patterns is essential for forensic investigators and examiners when interpreting scavenger-related alterations in forensic contexts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4bb9cbe5b082427ab3cf6e2a72b7a9c6 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2673-6756 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forensic Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-4bb9cbe5b082427ab3cf6e2a72b7a9c62025-06-25T13:51:35ZengMDPI AGForensic Sciences2673-67562025-06-01522410.3390/forensicsci5020024Exploring Scavenging Behavior of Bobcats (<i>Lynx rufus)</i> in the Middle Tennessee Area and Its Forensic ImplicationsYangseung Jeong0Aaron Gatewood1Eun Jin Woo2Department of Anthropology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USADepartment of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, USADepartment of History, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea(1) Background: Scavenger activity can pose significant challenges in forensic investigations. When examining damage on a victim, forensic investigators must first determine whether the damage resulted from human actions or animal scavenging. Accordingly, knowledge of the scavenger populations inhabiting a specific region and their scavenging behaviors is essential for accurately reconstructing the environmental context of the remains and interpreting associated taphonomic evidence in forensic investigations. (2) Methods: This study investigates the scavenging behavior of bobcats (<i>Lynx rufus</i>), a species native to North America, under controlled experimental conditions. The authors placed the carcasses of seven adult white-tailed deer in an outdoor field in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and systematically documented the scavenging activities. (3) Results: Bobcats were observed to primarily scavenge soft tissue from the torso, focusing on musculature while generally avoiding bony regions. When unsatisfied with the torso, they shifted attention to the upper limbs, with minimal interest shown in the head or neck. Bobcats also exhibited a tendency to feed in a single area for extended periods, leading to concentrated damage in specific locations on the remains. (4) Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that bobcats can significantly influence the postmortem conditions of remains, producing characteristic patterns of modification. Recognizing these patterns is essential for forensic investigators and examiners when interpreting scavenger-related alterations in forensic contexts.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6756/5/2/24bobcat<i>Lynx rufus</i>scavengerscavengingforensic taphonomy |
| spellingShingle | Yangseung Jeong Aaron Gatewood Eun Jin Woo Exploring Scavenging Behavior of Bobcats (<i>Lynx rufus)</i> in the Middle Tennessee Area and Its Forensic Implications Forensic Sciences bobcat <i>Lynx rufus</i> scavenger scavenging forensic taphonomy |
| title | Exploring Scavenging Behavior of Bobcats (<i>Lynx rufus)</i> in the Middle Tennessee Area and Its Forensic Implications |
| title_full | Exploring Scavenging Behavior of Bobcats (<i>Lynx rufus)</i> in the Middle Tennessee Area and Its Forensic Implications |
| title_fullStr | Exploring Scavenging Behavior of Bobcats (<i>Lynx rufus)</i> in the Middle Tennessee Area and Its Forensic Implications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring Scavenging Behavior of Bobcats (<i>Lynx rufus)</i> in the Middle Tennessee Area and Its Forensic Implications |
| title_short | Exploring Scavenging Behavior of Bobcats (<i>Lynx rufus)</i> in the Middle Tennessee Area and Its Forensic Implications |
| title_sort | exploring scavenging behavior of bobcats i lynx rufus i in the middle tennessee area and its forensic implications |
| topic | bobcat <i>Lynx rufus</i> scavenger scavenging forensic taphonomy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6756/5/2/24 |
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