1. International trade in bear gall bladders: forensic source inference.
- Author
-
Espinoza EO, Shafer JA, and Hagey LR
- Subjects
- Animals, Asia, Commerce, Forensic Medicine, North America, Bile Acids and Salts analysis, Gallbladder chemistry, Ursidae classification
- Abstract
Fresh and desiccated gall bladders of the Ursidae family (bears) obtained as criminal evidence were characterized by analysis of the principal biliary components, mainly ursodeoxycholyl-taurine, cholyl-taurine and chenodeoxycholyl-taurine using TLC and HPLC. This bile acids profile appears to be an Ursidae family characteristic. Results show that of the samples from Asia only 3% were from the Ursidae family and 18% were from "farmed bears." Samples seized in the U.S.A. and Canada showed that 22.6% and 85% respectively, were from Ursids. The remaining samples were consistent with bile from the domestic pig (Suidae).
- Published
- 1993