Importance of Pugmarks in Veterinary & Wildlife Forensics
Pugmarks are the marks which are left by different animal’s species while they are walking, running, or moving from one place to another place. Pugmarks refer to the footprints of most animals’ species. “PUG” also means foot in Hindi. Pugmarks of some animals are denoted by some different terms. Pugmarks denote “paw print” of most feline animals for e.g. like dog, cat, etc. Herbivore footprints are called as hoofmark. Some of the herbivore animals are like cow, goat, buffalo etc. Mostly the footprints of tigers are termed as pugmarks. Every animal species has different type of pugmark and this factor can be used for their identification purpose. Through pugmark it is not only possible to identify the animals, but also identify its sex whether it is male or female, age, and its size is also possible to identify accurately. Report on the development of non-invasive, robust, and cost-effective technique through which it is possible to identify the sex of Amur tigers from snow print . This all can be identified by a well-trained investigator. Identify the wild animal species on the basis of their pugmark and hair morphology is also possible. This study may be helpful to many different agencies which are engaged in controlling illegal trade of wildlife such as poaching and its derivatives towards better management of wildlife. In this study pugmark was evaluated by shape and measurement . Different investigator uses different type of method and procedure for the study of pugmark of different species to finding out different information through their pugmark such as sex age etc. The Development of the technique to make individual animal identification by their tracks basically mountain lion and large animals from the collected pugmarks with measurements from acetate tracings of two to six tracks from each rear foot of nine mountain lions Felis concolor for the study. This technique can be used to improve population studies of mountain lions and other large animal. From the perception, it is deciphered that the pugmarks are indistinguishable which implies that pugmark are diverse of various species, no two pugmarks were same. It was likewise discovered that fore foot and hind foot of same creature species demonstrated distinctive trademark which were not same. Through pugmark we can recognize the particular species as well as distinguish climate it is fore foot or hind foot of the particular creature. Pugmark connotes character.
Due to increase in criminal cases against animal, especially in rural areas and remote areas, it has become very important to study the pugmark of the animal in forensic aspect to reduce the crime against the animal. Like footprint of human frequently found at crime scene in same manner pugmark are also been found at the crime scene. Through pugmark we can also track rogue animals which may be danger to humans or to others animals’ species. Pugmark play very important role in identifying a given specific animals species. Pugmark can give valuable information regarding the animal involved in the crime. The pugmarks of different animal are different they are not same. Each of the pugmark has its own unique individual characteristic and class characteristic which help in differentiating from other groups of animals .Pugmark can also be examined in forensic science as it can provide reliable data of presence of different species in the area of study, population of the species, sex ratio, etc
Importance of Pugmarks in Wildlife Forensics
Wild animals can be difficult to spot because of their instinctive behaviour to avoid humans. However, the presence of wild animals often can be determined by their pugmarks in snow, sand, or soft mud. Whenever an animal moves through the jungle over a suitable ground, leaves mark or impressions it called as pugmarks (paw marks). In simple terms, pugmarks refer to the footprints of almost all the animals. Every individual animal species have distinct pugmarks and numerous features contained in it can be used to support the identification of an animal. Many people have learned to read wildlife pugmarks with a remarkable skill for hunting purposes.
In wildlife forensic, pug marks have significant importance and considered as valuable evidence. These pugmarks are easy to discover indirect evidence of an animal presence. The keen observation of these pugmarks can tell a lot about the animal’s sex, age, size, health conditions, and the time and direction in which the animal had moved. The scientific examination, identification, and comparison of pug marks from crime scenes can link with a suspect and a victim.
Nature of pug marks:-
Pugmarks are produced under the following circumstance:
- The impressions of the pug may be caused in mud, dust, sand, and snow or similar surfaces. These impressions will be depressed or three-dimensional type and these are known as sunken pug mark impressions. These type of pug marks are most commonly found.
- If the pug mark is produced by deposition of material like dust, dirt, blood, colored powdery substance, etc., on hard and smooth surfaces, giving rise to a two-dimensional print, which is called surface pug mark.
- Pugmarks may also be produced by lifting dust or liquid material in which case a negative print will be left on the surface.
The different species of animals, especially the large carnivores that are traditionally tracked with the help of pugmarks are divided into two broad categories:
- The members of the ‘Dog family’ or the ‘Canidae’ that typically move and hunt in packs often walking long distances in a file. In the members of this family, the claw marks are usually noticeable in front of the toe pads. As compared to the heel pad the toes are larger which helps them to run down the prey and the gap between the top of the heel pad and the two middle toes is evidently more than what is found in cats (hyenas is an exception). The front points of the two middle toes occur side by side (aligned).
- The members of the ‘Cat family’ or the ‘Felids’ that lead a solitary existence, depending on stealth for hunting down prey. They are acceptable climbers and some like the leopards take their hunt to a tree for abstaining from poaching by different carnivores. The claws or nails are hardly ever visible, the soft heel pad is comparatively larger (to encourage stealth) and the middle toes are put nearer to the pad. The middle toes of the felids are at different levels, especially for the hind paws.
Mostly the large carnivores leave the soft padded four-toed pugmarks in the jungle.
Pugmarks of Sloth Bear, Elephant, Fox & Tiger:-
- In the case of sloth bear tracks, the pug marks appear flat due to the presence of flat sole in their limbs.
- In the case of elephants, the size of the pugmark itself reveals the elephant’s footmarks.
- In fox, the pug marks are very close to the median line, creating an impression of rope walking.[2]
- In tiger’s, pugmarks comprise of a pad and four-toes. A fifth toe is commonly called the dewclaw, which is put high on the front limbs only and it does not contact the ground. At the rear end, the pad is 3-lobed.
Significance of Pug Marks:-
Pugmarks of wildlife species are important evidence in the forensic analysis of species. The significance of pugmarks is discussed below.
(1) Determination of Sex using Pug mark Measurements:
The sex of animal species can be determined by measuring the length and width of full pug mark, pad, and toe and some other distinct features. Example, Tiger- The pugmarks of mature males are usually larger than that of the females. The pugmarks of a male nearly fit into a square whereas the pugmarks of a female nearly fit into a rectangle. The shape of toes in a male is more rounded while in the case of females they are elongated.
(2) The age of Pugmarks can be calculated by looking at the dust and soil depositions. When pugmarks are fresh, then the wall of the soil, sand, or dust surrounding the imprints of toes and pads are intact and almost perpendicular, and the bases of imprints of pugmarks are smooth flat. With time, depending on whether pugmarks were in a shelter or an open spots, the actions of the rays of sunlight, the rate of airflow, the dewdrops of the night, the dust deposited on the pugmarks and the movement of invertebrates, the walls of the pugmarks get cracks and the pile of earth that took the weight of the animal also begins to fill up with dust deposits and other droppings.
(3) Animal Movement Patterns (Gaits):
Different animals move differently depending on their body mechanics and behaviour. A few animals like deer and cats spend the majority of their time walking. Other animals like coyotes and foxes are intended for trotting. Numerous other animal species have their particular hopping, loping, or bounding movement patterns that are unique to that one specific animal species. These gait patterns are a major key for how trackers interpret the behaviour and even foresee future activity of animals just by contemplating trail patterns. Notwithstanding, these will also help you more strongly to recognize what animal made the trail.
(4) Identification of Animal Species based on Pugmark Analysis:
“Every individual animal has its distinct pugmark.”
This principle is used for identification purposes. Pugmark plays a major role in identifying a given specific animal in terms of sex, age, or size as well as the total accuracy of the given individual species. Humans have difficulty in carrying out this task because not every footprint left by the animal is the perfect one. The abnormalities or deformities in a particular paw become relevant and hence, it narrows downs the search. In the manual method of identification, a series of measurements of pugmarks are noted and compared with the available data.
Digital pugmark technology (DPT) is a new age technology for the identification of animals based on their pugmarks. This method is used for estimating the specific individual species using a statistical approach. Each animal leaves a particular set of pugmarks while walking
(5) Study of Wildlife Population (Census) / Pugmark-based population monitoring:
The population of the remaining rare animals in the forests needs to be protected. An animal footprint is the unique identity of the animal world. There are several techniques available to study animal behaviour. This method is a safe and brilliant way to spot the presence of an animal in a place. The main objective of the wildlife census is to find out the density of the population of the species and to procure basic data for its management.
(6) The pugmark is also helpful in estimating time when an animal moved and direction in which the animal traveled. The major problem with pugmark impressions based on the identification of species includes is an undetectable footprint on hard surfaces and sometimes these footprint sites are often contaminated by the presence of other animals. Undetectable pugmarks and erosions by the other animals in pugmarks analysis are the major limitations in the field of wildlife forensic. If pugmarks analysed skilfully and lawfully, they can provide reliable data.
In wildlife forensics pugmark study is conducted to investigate the wildlife crimes and to track the rogue animals which are considered dangerous to mankind. The animals are also tracked in order to save them from any kind of threat and endangerment from human beings.
Pugmark Formation
The process of pugmarks are formed when they are compressed against the surface on which an animal is walking.
When an animal walks on wet soil, snow, sand, mud or any other similar surface, the pugmarks formed are three dimensional in nature and are called sunken pugmark impressions. They are the most encountered types of pugmarks.
If the animal walks on any hard surface or smooth surface, the pug marks formed on those surfaces are due to presence of dust, dirt or blood on the paws and they produce two-dimensional impressions. These marks are called surface pugmarks.
Pugmarks can also be lifted by dust or any liquid which may leave negative pug impressions on the surface.
Most Encountered Pugmarks For Examination
Every animal leaves their pugmarks but the most encountered pugmarks are from the large carnivores which can be broadly categorised into canidae and felidae families.
Canidae Family
Canidae family is also called the ‘Dog Family’. They usually move and hunt in packs and often walk miles. The characteristics of their pugmarks are:
- The claw marks are visible in front of the toe pads.
- The toes are larger than the heel pads and help them to run down the prey.
- The gap between the top of the heel pads and the toes is large.
- The front points of the two middle toes occur side by side (hyena is an exception).
Felidae Family
This family is also known as ‘Cat Family’. They lead a solitary existence that depends on stealth for hunting down the prey. They are excellent runners and climbers. The characteristics of their pugmarks are:
- The claws are hardly visible in front of the toes.
- The soft heel pads are comparatively larger.
- The gap is small between the heel pads and toes.
- The middle toes are present at different levels, especially in the hind paws.
Certain characteristic features of pugmarks of different animals:
- Elephants- The size of the pugmark is very big which makes it obvious of the elephant’s footprints.
- Sloth Bear– The pugmarks are flat due to their flat soled feet.
- Fox-Their pugmarks are very close to median line, creating the impression of rope walking
Information Revealed Through Pugmark Examination
Pugmarks alone can state the whole profile of animals that includes the species, age, gender, movement, population, etc.
Species Determination
It is based on the principle that ‘every individual has its unique pugmark’. The abnormalities and deformities in a particular paw makes the mark distinct and narrow down the search. But it is quite a difficult task for human beings as the number of animals present on earth is huge and the pugmarks left by them are not always clear. Digital Pugmark Technology (DPT) is a new generation animal identification technology based on the pugmark impressions that uses a statistical approach.
Age Determination
The pugmarks of adult animals are larger than the baby animals. For example in tigers- the pugmarks of adult tigress are compact whereas the cub’s pugmarks are quite spread. The length of toes in adult tigress is smaller as compared to their cubs.
Pugmark Age Determination
The age of the pugmark can be determined by observing the conditions of the dust and soil. The fresh pugmarks on soil, dust or any other such surface shows intact perpendicular walls and the base of the prints are flat and smooth. With moving time and natural phenomena such as sunlight, rainfall, storms, etc. the conditions of pugmark also changes.
Sex Determination
The pugmarks are distinct for the males and females of the same species. The male pugmarks are usually smaller as compared to that of females. The female pugmarks fit into a rectangle whereas the male pugmarks nearly fit into a square. The female pugmarks are elongated but the male pugmarks are slightly round.
Animal Movement
Depending upon the body mechanics and behaviour the distinct movement of different animals can be determined. Some animals walk, run, hop, lope, etc. and each move makes a gait pattern which is distinct for each animal species.
The gait pattern determination gives a key for elucidating the behaviour of the animal and their future activities.
Population Determination
Animal footprint study is one of the fundamental techniques to determine the population of an animal species in a particular area. This method is the safest to spot the presence of an animal population. It also states the population density of animals in the area. It is one of the crucial methods in declaring that a particular species is endangered or not.
Limitations Of Pugmark Examination
Nothing is spared by the law of nature i.e., progressive change. The natural phenomena of heat, rainfall, storms, etc changes the nature of the pugmarks which can imitate false identification. The presence of negative pumarks also limits the proper forensic analysis. Undetectable pugmarks and erosions by other animals also challenge the identification. Therefore, keen and thorough analysis is required to get accurate results.
Pugmarks are important evidence in wildlife crime investigation. They alone explicate a lot of information regarding the animal that includes- the species, age, sex, movement, behaviour, population, direction and time of movement, etc. But the identification process is a challenging one because there are a number of animal species present on earth with unique behaviours .
This makes the identification course a difficult task for human beings. Technologies like DPT have made it quite easier to study these pug marks but more developed and advanced similar techniques are required for acquiring the desired results. Appropriate and careful examination is mandatory for the accurate analysis in wildlife forensics.
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