1.2 Necropsy Report

1. FILE 1.2
NECROPSY EXAMINATION REPORT
PREPARED BY: Dr. Robert L. Mathis, Onsite Veterinarian
REPORT DATE: 07.07.2018
LOCATION: Site █████, Laboratory B1
SPECIMEN: 1 American Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos, juvenile, male, est. 2-3 years of
age
HISTORY: Crow was found by containment personnel at approximately 14:30 near the
eastern border of the containment site. Specimen appeared to be in a state of seizure
on the ground and expired approx. 15 seconds after discovery. Several other crows
were observed in the area, but none exhibited abnormal behavior. Containment staff
have been notified to continue observation of local avian wildlife. A biohazard
retrieval team was sent to recover the corpse and deliver it to Site Delta for
examination.
See Incident Report 1.2A for further details.
EXAMINATION: Upon arrival at Site Delta specimen was placed in laboratory B1 for
examination and Dr. Mathis was notified immediately.
A visual exam of the animal was conducted, and the specimen was estimated to
be 2-3 years of age due to cranial size and blue hue of the iris. Limbs and neck were
twisted and overextended in several dimensions, likely as a consequence of its
seizure before death. No other visual abnormalities were observed.
A necropsy exam of the cranial, thoracic, and abdominal cavity was conducted.
The cranial and abdominal exams yielded no unusual findings.
The thoracic exam revealed several anomalies. During exploration of the
thoracic cavity, the lungs and clavicular/anterior air sacs all appeared healthy and
did not appear displaced. The heart was not displaced but did appear necrotic.
Progression of necrosis suggests the tissue had expired approx. ██ days before
specimen death. 14 small holes of approx. 2mm in width were observed on the exterior
and throughout the interior ventricular chambers of the heart.
Specimen was then plucked in the thoracic and abdominal regions, upon which 3
holes of similar size were observed in the skin over the left breast.

2. DIAGNOSIS: No evidence was found of any brain growth that could have led to seizure.
Heart tissue in advanced necrosis, suggesting tissue death occurred at least ██
days before specimen death.
It is unknown how specimen continued to survive without functional heart.
Holes in skin and heart suggest entry and exit wounds, but do not appear consistent
with normal tissue damage from pellet guns or birdshot. Cause of death remains a
seizure with unknown cause.
. . .
ATTACHED MESSAGE:
To: Hudson
From: Mathis, Robert;
Sir,
Too many unknowns. Very little of this matches up with past records of death in the
containment zone. This bird clearly survived so long without a functional heart, and
exactly how that happened cannot remain an unknown. Requesting permission to
interview personnel who found the specimen, as well as live capture of several crows
from the same area to be brought to Site Delta for immediate study.
Robert
. . .
ATTACHED MESSAGE:
To: Mathis, Robert;
From: Hudson
Robert,
Approved. Prep a biohazard retrieval team to capture several more crows and any other
avian wildlife in that sector. I want all further avian specimens to be treated as
class V biohazards until further notice.
Update me on all further developments.
Hudson.
. . .
ATTACHED FILE: Incident Report 1.2A
ATTACHED FILE: Interview Log 1.2B