1. Forensic Crime Scene Eisenhower High School
Animal Hair
Forensic Crime Scene
Eisenhower High School

2. Animal Versus Human Hairs
Human hairs are generally consistent in color and pigmentation throughout the length of the hair shaft, whereas animal hairs may exhibit radical color changes in a short distance, called banding.
The pigmentation of human hairs is evenly distributed, or slightly more dense toward the cuticle, whereas the pigmentation of animal hairs is more centrally distributed, although more dense toward the medulla.

3. Animal Hairs
animal hairs do not possess enough individual microscopic characteristics to be associated with a particular animal to the exclusion of other similar animals
If the questioned hair exhibits the same microscopic characteristics as the known hairs, it is concluded that the hair is consistent with originating from that animal

4. To distinguish between animal and human hair use a Medullary Index
diameter of hair’s medulla
Medullary Index =
diameter of the hair
M.I. = <.33 hair is human
M.I. =>.5 or more, hair is animal

9. Appearance of different hair (or fur) types will vary from animal to animal

10. Cat hair

11. Cat Hair
bsapp.com

12. Dog hair

13. Dog Hair
bsapp.com

14. Rabbit hair

15. Rabbit Hair
bsapp.com

16. Horse Hair
bsapp.com

17. Mouse Hair
bsapp.com

18. Deer Hair
bsapp.com

19. Cow Hair
bsapp.com

20. Pig Hair
bsapp.com

21. Bat Hair Hair

23. Can you identify the animal hairs shown?B C D G E F H I
Teacher Note: I challenge students to identify each hair sample pictured on this slide as they examine the sets of animal hairs I have prepared for them. An observation worksheet is available on my website which requires students to draw an image of what they see and add a description that highlights unique characteristics of each specimen. A key for the animal hairs is available on the next to last slide of this presentation!
Think About It …
In which samples are we viewing the cuticle? How do they compare?
(2) In which samples are we viewing the medulla? How do they compare?
(3) What characteristics can be used to identify hair samples?

24. Types of Animal Hairs - Key
Cat
Horse
Pig
Human A B C D G E F H I
Deer
Dog
Rabbit
Rat
Human