Regardless of the cause of death, normally there is an agony phase during which the animals display contractions in different parts of the body, especially in the legs and in the neck muscles. Pedaling, for instance, will cause tracks on the soil which would be noticeable. Possible causes of an instant death are lightning, gun-shots or paralyzing factors. Weather conditions, characteristic lesions on the body, and signs in the surrounding area can confirm or exclude the possibility of lightning. Gun-shots can be easily detected through a thorough necropsy.
Paralyzing factors are more difficult to identify.
However, a laboratory examination would have a good chance to clarify such a suspicion. Special attention should be paid to situations when more than one animal is found dead under similar circumstances. Some reports have mentioned that mutilated animals were found laying in the middle of perfectly round areas where the vegetation looked as if it had been burned. If one or two legs had been broken, it could be easier to understand. Their presence suggests, however, human intervention.