Effects of Carcass Size on Decay Rates of Shade and Sun Exposed Carrion

Abstract

Entomological studies using pig carrion as models for human decomposition have utilized carcasses 27 kg or smaller, with a recommended weight of 23 kg. A preliminary study was conducted during the summer months in the Edmonton, Alberta area to determine the effect of carcass size on the rate of decomposition. Fourteen clothed pigs, ranging in size from small (19–26 kg) to medium (36–80 kg) to large (156–162 kg), were decayed in shaded and sun exposed environments. Results show that the smaller carcasses in both environments decayed significantly faster than the medium and larger carcasses, reaching dry skeletal remains in as little as 13 days. Comparisons with established rates of human decomposition, obtained from the records of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Edmonton, suggest that the small sized carcasses are not an appropriate model for human decay rates in the central Alberta region. Results also suggest that decomposition rates may vary significantly between juveniles and adults in humans.