Researchers studying how scavengers consume human remains were astounded when they spotted a deer feasting on a body!
The never-before-seen behavior was recorded by scientists from the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility in Texas during a project aimed at understanding how human remains decompose in the wild.
Having placed a body in a forested area, the researchers set up a camera system to capture any activity surrounding the remains.
While they were expecting to see the 'usual suspects' like foxes and vultures snacking of the corpse, an unexpected eater emerged in the form of a hungry deer.
On two separate occasions, different deer were photographed snacking on the remains, including a rather amusing image where a guilty-looking deer can be seen with a human rib sticking out of its mouth!
While deer had been seen eating the carcasses of smaller animals in the past, the new findings constitute the first time they have been known to eat human remains.
Beyond the newfound scientific insights, experts say that the revelation could shed light on what otherwise may have been inexplicable human decomposition.
One can only hope that deer do not acquire a taste for human flesh and decide to switch from scavengers to hunters, although the irony would be rather poetic.
Source: National Geographic