Fatal gunshot injuries in the common buzzard Buteo buteo L. 1758 – imaging and ballistic findings

• DOI: 10.1007/s12024-018-0017-4
• Publication Date: 2018-08-31T01:46:45Z
• Authors: Filip Pankowski; Grzegorz Bogiel; Sławomir Paśko; Filip Rzepiński; Joanna Misiewicz; Alfred Staszak; Joanna Bonecka; Małgorzata Dzierz...; Bartłomiej J. Bar...
• Keywords: Buzzard

The conservation of the common buzzard is assured by European Union law. In Poland, this wild bird under strict species protection and it used as a bioindicator for heavy metals in environment. A case fatal shooting with firearm an unidentified shooter described here. Macroscopic evaluation, X-ray imaging, post-mortem computed tomography, ballistic examination isolated bullets finally simulation assumed position at time shot were performed. Numerous pellets found inside body, together multiple bone fractures central nervous system trauma. died most probably result spinal cord injury from single that was fired smoothbore hunting gun. Collected evidence insufficient to identify shooter, which sadly confirms identification perpetrator wildlife forensics remains low.