The researchers wired the bones to branches several feet off the ground to discourage rodents other than squirrels from reaching them. His study, published in April 2016 in the Journal of Forensic Identification, had a simple design: he and his students attached dry white-tailed deer bones to trees around Boston, left them for eight weeks, and checked them every two weeks for signs of squirrel damage. Researching squirrels, he says, will also help identify the worst culprits when looking at a gnawed-on bone. Pokines, who has also studied gnawing in voles and other rodents, decided to investigate eastern gray squirrels because they have a large range and are easy to observe. The gnawing marks can also obscure evidence of trauma to the bone, such as bullet or knife marks, or even be mistaken for weapon marks themselves. Squirrels and other rodents can chew the ends off bones, sometimes to the point of destroying their distinctive shape completely, making them hard to identify. He says that most remains found above ground-including accident or homicide victims as well as exposed cemetery remains-show some evidence of gnawing. How often does a forensic anthropologist see gnawing damage on bone? “Constantly,” says Pokines. The damage rodents can cause and tooth marks they leave, sharp as knife strikes, can both confound and inform crime scene investigators. They might also scatter the bones away from the original site, disturbing the integrity of the skeleton. It is vital for forensic anthropologists to understand this toothy habit, since squirrel-gnawing can drastically affect human skeletal remains that are left to the elements. Like rats and others of their rodent brethren, squirrels will dig their teeth into bones lying exposed in the wilderness, whether animal or human.
“Squirrels seem nice but are actually very voracious little creatures,” says Pokines. Photo courtesy of James Pokines and the Journal of Forensic Identification The teeth grow throughout a squirrel’s life gnawing on bone or other objects helps to wear down the teeth and keep them sharp. New research led by James Pokines, forensic anthropologist and an assistant professor in the anatomy and neurobiology department at the Boston University School of Medicine, documents how squirrels left to their own devices will gnaw away not just on acorns, but on bone. Us Weekly reports that even Justin Bieber stopped to feed them as he relaxed in the Public Garden during his Purpose World Tour.ĭespite their charms, however, squirrels can be destructive pests, and not just because they target the bird feeders in the backyard. Perfect subjects for visitors’ photos, the squirrels couldn’t be cuter as they scratch their ears, chase each other around, and hop close to passersby, hoping for a tasty handout. Ducks and geese lazily drift on clear water or nap on the shore, woodpeckers and wrens populate the trees, and everywhere squirrels bounce by, fluffy tails rippling behind them. Strolling through Boston Public Garden on a sunny summer day, it’s easy to encounter wildlife, even in the heart of the city.
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