Body Farm: Squirrel (Sciurus Niger) Grace - Osteologist, Jaime - Meteorologist, Lauren - Entomologist, Danny - Decomposition Expert
-
Day One
Observations Day 1: Body Condition: Relatively flat, and smelly.
Bones: Femur slowly becoming present, and skull is visible
Bugs: A few blow flies were present in the area, but none directly on or near our squirrel.
Weather: 64 degrees F (sunny and clear skies)
Location: 32.9719 N, 96.9731 W -
Day Two
Observations Day 2:
Body Condition: (looked extremely similar to day one) Flattened (like a pancake), legs looked somewhat like cardboard (mummified). Still smelly.
Bones: Visible, the femur was completely exposed and extremely jagged (muscle was hanging out of it)
Bugs: Only (1st generation) blowflies present
Weather: 76 degrees F and extremely dry, very sunny and 13 mph winds -
Day Three
Observations Day 3:
Body Condition: Looks like jerky, even more flattened, but his tail intact
Bones: humerus, radius, ulna, tibia, fibula, femur all exposed
Bugs: Several ants
Weather: 75 degrees F (sunny and clear skies) 31% humidity and 1 mph winds coming from the northwest -
Day Four
Observations Day 4:
Body Condition: Extremely flat,
Bones: Femur looks extremely brittle, and the humerus, radius, ulna, tibia, and fibula are all still exposed.
Bugs: Not as many ants as the previous day, but black ants are still residing in the squirrel
Weather: 84 degrees F (partly cloudy) 31% humidity and 6 mph winds coming from the east -
Day Seven
Observations Day 7:
Body Condition: Extremely flat, looks like jerky, smell isn’t as potent as beforehand, seems to have no more meat / fat left
Bones: All exposed
Bugs: N/A
Weather: 75 degrees F (cloudy) 73% humidity and 17 mph winds coming from the south -
Day Eight
Observations Day 8:
Body Condition: All skin, muscle, and fat has been decomposed / taken by animals (and bugs)
Bones: Almost every bone is now exposed with the exception of the ribs and the skull
Bugs: N/A (flies present in the area but not in the squirrel)
Weather: 84 degrees F (sunny) 61% humidity and 14 mph winds coming from the south -
Day Nine
Body Condition: All skin, muscle, and fat has been decomposed / taken by animals (and bugs)
Bones: Almost every bone is now exposed with the exception of the ribs and the skull
Bugs: N/A (flies present in the area but not in the squirrel)
Weather: 73 degrees F (mostly cloudy) 75% humidity and 8 mph winds coming from the north east