Why do remains scatter?
Where the heck do all the bones go?
Is there any hope of recovering the bones so we can identify the person, catch the bad person, and give the next of kin closure?
These are the foundational questions behind the cross-Canada Scavenging Study, started by Dr. Shari Forbes. I am the anthropologist working on the Alberta portion of this study. We’re investigating factors involved in the scattering of remains, like scavenger activity, and hope to discover patterns in the way the remains are scattered.
If we can find patterns, forensic investigators can then:
- increase their recovery rate of scattered potential forensic evidence
- increase the likelihood of identifying the deceased
- increase the likelihood of closing the case, and
- increase the amount of remains returned to the next of kin.
Sounds pretty good, right? We think so too.
Check out the videos below to see what we’ve discovered so far.
Articles published on the Alberta part of the Scavenging Study:
The first article from the British Columbia part of the Scavenging Study has now been published too:
Forbes SL, Huculak M, Watson CJ. Taphonomic impact of vertebrate scavengers on degradation and dispersal of remains, southeastern British Columbia. J Forensic Sci. 2024; 00: 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.15620
The Ontario and Quebec portions have been published previously:
Forbes SL, Samson C & Watson CJ. Seasonal impact of scavenger guilds as taphonomic agents in central and northern Ontario, Canada. J Forensic Sci. 2022; 67: 2203–2217. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.15122 (This article isn’t open access so get the PDF here)
Séguin K, Durand-Guévin A, Lavallée C, Ouimet F, Maisonhaute J-É, Watson CJ, et al. The taphonomic impact of scavenger guilds in southern Quebec during summer and fall in two distinct habitats. J Forensic Sci. 2022; 67: 460–470. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.14929 (This article isn’t open access so get the PDF here)
Videos
Somethings are best expressed in pictures. Below you can find summary videos of each site, and some miscellaneous videos of wildlife we’ve captured on camera, and other odds and sods.
2024 Videos
2022 – 2023 Summary Videos
Elk Island, AB Forest 2022 – 23
Edmonton River, AB Forest 2022 – 23
Edmonton City, AB Open 2022-23
2022 Summary Videos
2021 – 2022 Summary Videos
Water Valley, AB Open 2021 – 22
Water Valley, AB Forest 2021 – 22
Edmonton Dump, AB Open 2021 – 22
Edmonton Dump, AB Forest 2021 – 22
2022 – 2023 Misc.
Nanton Grizzly, AB Forest 2022
Nanton Bear and cubs, AB Open 2022
3-legged coyote, SK Forest 2022
Okotoks Cougar, AB Forest 2022
2021 – 2022 Misc.
Water Valley Forest Decomposition
Ghost Lake, AB June 2022 (2nd prelim search)
Music by Bensound.com and by Coma-Media from Pixabay
Yvonne Kjorlien: Host, Producer & Writer
I’m a physical anthropologist and archaeologist who studies scattered and scavenged remains. This is an undervalued and understudied topic. I hope this podcast will help people understand the importance of researching and being trained in scavenged and scattered remains.
Yvonne Kjorlien 