Examination of objects of animal origin focuses on the features of the specific material: an individual hair, feather, animal hair or another fragment. The possible level of identification depends on the state of preservation and available comparison data.
Subject of examination
- Individual hairs, animal coat hair, feathers and other animal fragments
- Inclusions and traces of biological origin
- Comparison samples and information about how they were obtained
Sample questions for the expert
- Is the submitted object of animal origin?
- What morphological and other available features have been established?
- Can the group or species classification be determined?
- Are the material under examination and the samples comparable in terms of the features identified?
The final questions are formulated according to the objects and circumstances of the particular task.
What to prepare
- A description of the object and circumstances of discovery
- Separately packaged materials and photographs
- Information about cleaning, colouring, treatment and storage
- Questions and reliable comparison samples
How the examination is conducted
The material's suitability is assessed before methods are selected. Comparison takes account of natural variation, treatment and possible mixing of different objects.
Scope and limitations
DNA identification of a particular animal and forensic medical examinations of human tissue are not claimed as part of this service. General morphological similarity alone may be insufficient for a finding of individual identity.
What the deliverable records
The findings state the established features and supported level of identification, with an explanation of the uncertainty.
Cost and terms
from RUB 60,000. The exact price depends on the object, samples, questions and laboratory work.
What comparison of individual hairs, animal hair and feathers shows
Comparison begins by asking exactly which circumstances need to be tested. Determining the nature of a hair, comparing material with a sample from a known animal and explaining the appearance of particles on clothing are different tasks. A match in individual features answers only the part of the question for which those features are sufficient.
The site from which comparison material was obtained, the sampling method and its condition are important in its description. Hairs from the same animal may differ in structure and treatment; an individual broken fragment may retain fewer features than a whole hair. Colouring, clipping, cleaning of the product and prolonged storage are also taken into account during comparison. It is better to provide this information before the examination, rather than after receiving the findings.
To test a contact hypothesis, prepare
- Photographs of the whole item and the location where particles were found, if it was recorded.
- Information about the item's previous use, storage together with other objects, cleaning and movement.
- Separate inventories of the objects to be examined and comparison samples, with their identifiers.
- An explanation of which event or possible source is being tested and what other contacts are known.
Detection of biological particles and a finding on when or how they arrived are not equivalent. The possibility of direct or indirect transfer is assessed from the materials as a whole. Morphological similarity should not be described as proven origin from a particular animal if the method and the full set of features do not support such a finding. It is useful for the opinion to present the observed features, comparison results and limits of interpretation separately.