Scotland Yard was called in to investigate, as all signs of decay pointed to a fairly recent homicide. Scotland Yard, however, wasn t going to get their man. It turned out that the victim was killed some 2,000 years ago. The natural conditions in the bog preserved the body in such a state that investigators could still determine the victims last meal burnt toast. The Bog Man remains one of the oldest murder investigations on record.
Bogs act in much the same way that a pickle jar preserves a pickle.
The low oxygen content and acidic nature of the bog preserves whatever falls into its midst, leaving scientists an accurate record of life in the distant past to compare with the present conditions. The Silver Lake Camp Preserve provides a variety of habitats in close proximity of each other. This plant holds water like a sponge, thereby restricting the flow of water through the bog. More than any other plant, sphagnum makes the bog what it is. As you walk along, your challenge is to identify the 15 different species of sphagnum found along the trail.