Calgary police are launching a new forensic project this summer that involves submerging pig cadavers in the Bow River to study how human remains behave in waterways. The initiative, a collaboration with researchers from the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Windsor, aims to improve the recovery of missing persons and aid homicide investigations.
Why Pigs Are Used
Dr. Iain Phillips, a biology professor at the University of Saskatchewan and the project's lead researcher, explained that pigs have a long history in forensic studies as surrogates for humans. "People might be familiar with television shows, such as CSI, where pigs are used to identify postmortem interval based on the insects that develop on them," he said. "They have a physiology that's as close to people as possible in a lot of ways."
The Experiment
Four pigs that are not part of the food chain will be euthanized for the experiment. The cadavers will be released into the river with GPS and radio tags to track their movements. A dedicated Calgary police team will monitor the pigs. Researchers will study buoyancy relative to water temperature, how far the river carries the bodies, and where they eventually come to rest.
"We use that as an opportunity to identify probable points of hitting the shore or getting slowed in their progress, getting hung up on strainers, like woody debris in the river, or eddies," Phillips added.
Expected Duration and Outcomes
The research is expected to conclude within a week, depending on how far the cadavers travel. Findings will be calibrated with data from past cases where missing people were found dead in the river. "We've done it here in Saskatoon in the summer and in Edmonton under cold conditions, and it's an opportunity now in the Bow River," Phillips noted.
Calgary police emphasized that the project builds on successes in Saskatchewan, where similar studies directly contributed to the recovery of human remains in a homicide investigation. "The CPS remains committed to using evidence-based practices to support missing persons and homicide investigations," the police stated. "Sadly, it is a tragic reality that past missing persons have entered our city's waterways, and this is part of our efforts to ensure every available measure is taken to locate those who go missing."
