We describe a continuous section across the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (K-Pg boundary) at Uzgrun, Czech Republic (Outer Carpathian Flysch), which comprises distal turbidite facies deposited in a deep marine environment below the carbonate compensation depth (sub-CCD). Biostratigraphic control is based on dinoflagellates, radiolarians, and benthic foraminifera, and calcareous nannofossils and planktonic foraminifers are solely found within the upper Maastrichtian turbidite claystone. The uppermost part of the section, containing the K-Pg boundary, is carbonate-free. The K-Pg boundary is marked by iridium enrichment representing an enhanced extraterrestrial admixture at the base of the turbiditic claystone. Although a boundary clay layer is absent, this layer is likely represented by material reworked and redeposited by turbidity currents. The first occurrence of the dinocyst Senoniasphaera inornata within the C29r magnetochron appears only 8 cm above the iridium anomaly, and the lowest occurrence of the radiolarian Paleocene marker species Amphisphaera aotea is recorded 17 cm above it. Deep-sea agglutinated foraminifera abundance decreases slightly above the K-Pg boundary but also in certain intervals of the uppermost Maastrichtian. No clear mercury enrichment potentially linked to Deccan volcanism was detected. Instead, Hg contents are most likely influenced by post-depositional and redepositional processes, such as the degradation of organic matter (OM). Nevertheless, the occurrence of warm-water taxa, e.g. M. prinsii, in the section might indicate warming associated with greenhouse effect of volcanism. Notwithstanding CCD shallowing, evidenced by disappearance of carbonate in the uppermost Maastrichtian and Paleocene strata, the magnetic signal provides no indication of ocean acidification. From the uppermost Maastrichtian onward, an increase in bottom-water oxygenation is suggested by several proxies, including magnetic hardening, pyrite oxidation, increase in pristane/phytane ratio, and benthic foraminifera assemblages. Enhanced terrigenous OM input during the latest Maastrichtian is evidenced by kerogen composition, C27/C29 sterane ratio, and the terrestrial/aquatic ratio (TAR) index. Overall, the Uzgrun section provides a unique continuous biostratigraphic record of abyssal flysch setting in the Alpine-Carpathian realm, indicating that the K-Pg boundary event exerted only a minor influence on abyssal benthic communities.

Estimating bioavailable strontium isotope baselines is a critical step in archaeological mobility studies. Conventional proxy-based approaches, which rely on environmental samples, such as soils, fauna, plants, or waters, are not always feasible and may be affected by environmental, taphonomic, or sampling-related biases. Here, we introduce MobSr, a machine-learning-based model designed to estimate probable local 87Sr/86Sr baselines directly from human enamel isotope data. The model combines four first-layer classifiers—Naïve Bayes, k-nearest neighbours, support vector machine, and Random Forest—with a Bayesian ensemble layer that integrates classifier outputs and refines local/non-local probability estimates. MobSr was trained on a dataset of approximately 3000 human enamel samples from 86 archaeological sites, using published expert-derived local/non-local classifications. Local isotopic ranges are estimated by analysing posterior probabilities assigned to individual observations. Model performance was evaluated through general cross-validation and through site-specific case studies, including a La Tène period cemetery from the Czech Republic, an Early Medieval cemetery from Finland, and multi-period burial assemblages from Bahrain in the Arabian Peninsula. The results show 87–95

The Valeriano composite epithermal-porphyry Cu‒Au system in the El Indio-Maricunga metallogenic belt, Vicuña segment, consists of a shallow silicic lithocap with low-grade Au‒Ag ± Cu mineralization underlain by a large porphyry-Cu (± Mo, ± Au) deposit. A deep drillhole (VALD-D13-14) allows the systematic evaluation of bulk-rock Cu‒Mo isotope compositions over a vertical extent of 1,900 m through the hydrothermal porphyry-epithermal system. Copper isotope values in the lower 1,000 m of the mineralized potassic and phyllic altered porphyry zone increase slightly upwards in the range of +0.2 to +0.4‰, and scatter in the upper phyllic and advanced argillic zone (δ65Cu: ‒3.7‰ to +2.7‰). The near-surface low-Cu leached zone has very negative δ65Cu values down to ‒6.5‰ and there are also some distinctly negative excursions in the deep potassic zone with subordinate advanced argillic alteration. Molybdenum isotope values are slightly negative in the potassic porphyry zone (δ98Mo: ‒0.3 to ‒0.2‰), but increase over the phyllic zone to positive values of 0.2‒0.3‰, and strongly scatter at the transition to the high-sulfidation epithermal system. The Cu and Mo isotope patterns can be mainly attributed to Rayleigh fractionation between vapor and brine in the magmatic-hydrothermal porphyry system and to redox-controlled isotope shifts during supergene alteration in the epithermal system. Deviations from the general trend in some deep drillcore intercepts relate to short intervals of advanced argillic alteration and corresponding redox fluctuations with Cu enrichment.

The occurrence of mantle-derived carbonatites in the geologic record since similar to 3 billion years ago (Ga) allows to track the evolution of carbon-bearing mantle sources throughout much of the Earth's history. There appears to be continuing evidence for a significant proportion of subducted marine sedimentary material into the mantle sources of many carbonatites, attested by large ranges in epsilon(Sr)(i) from 7 to 73 and in epsilon(Nd)(i) from -10 to +0.5 which is different to conventional carbonatites originating from asthenospheric mantle with a limited contribution from enriched mantle sources; yet, neither sedimentary recycling via subduction nor common mantle metasomatism can explain highly unradiogenic and correlated initial Nd-143/Nd-144 ratios with epsilon(Nd)(i) values as low as -18.3, observed in many worldwide carbonatites with emplacement ages ranging from similar to 2.0 Ga to 30 Ma. Here, we argue that these carbonatites require derivation from a long-lived mantle reservoir characterized by low-Sm/Nd (<0.17). These signatures can be best explained by admixture of an ancient, low-Sm/Nd slab-derived component that must have been incorporated into the mantle source parental to these low-Nd-143/Nd-144 carbonatites at least 2.7 billion years ago.

Several poorly studied granite-gneiss domes are exposed within the Alpine Balkan fold-and-thrust belt in Bulgaria, marking a broad, polyorogenic boundary zone between the former continents of Baltica and Gondwana. We investigate the pre-Alpine evolution of this boundary zone based on three of these granite-gneiss units (Stakevtsi, Barzia, and Divchovoto) through U-Pb zircon geochronology and major- and trace-element and isotope (Nd, Hf) geochemistry. The protoliths of the Stakevtsi orthogneiss are interpreted to have formed in a late Cryogenian to middle Ediacaran (c. 651-568 Ma) juvenile volcanic arc setting, whereas the shale-graywacke protoliths of the Barzia and Divchovoto gneisses are interpreted as remnants of former back-arc or marginal basins sourced both from the arc and the continental margin between c. 566 Ma and c. 503 Ma. Zircon age spectra and Hf isotopes from these units suggest two distinct provenances, either Baltican or Cadomian (West African). These contrasting basement types were juxtaposed along the northern Gondwana margin prior to the deposition of the Middle Ordovician overstep successions, which include both 'Baltican' and 'Cadomian' zircon ages. Consequently, Baltica and Gondwana could not have been far apart in the late Neoproterozoic to early Cambrian, either forming part of the Pannotia supercontinent, or being separated only by volcanic arcs (including Stakevtsi) and associated younger basins. To explain the required Baltica-sourced eastward terrane transfer, we invoke the eastward migration of a spreading ridge, which diachronously terminated arc activity and produced a dextral transform, possibly displacing the peri-Baltican arc fragments eastwards and mixing them with crustal fragments of Cadomian provenance. During the Variscan orogeny, these Neoproterozoic units were buried and subsequently exhumed as granite-gneiss domes to upper crustal levels.

Chromitites in ophiolites are recognized for their high concentrations of highly siderophile elements (HSE), notably IPGE (Os, Ir and Ru). However, the effects of this enrichment on ophiolitic rocks and mantle heterogeneity remain poorly understood and to address this issue, we investigated chromitites from the Pozant & imath;-Karsant & imath; and K & imath;z & imath;lda & gbreve; ophiolites in T & uuml;rkiye. The results reveal HSE enrichment, particularly IPGE, in chromite separates compared to matrix, with indistinguishable Os isotope compositions between the two phases. This observation aligns with the presence of platinum-group minerals (PGM) occurring as inclusions within chromite grains. The IPGE enrichment and similar Os isotope compositions are also present in chromitites relative to dunites, suggesting close affinity of HSE with chromite fractions relative to silicate melts during chromite crystallization and aggregation. A global compilation of data on chromitites in ophiolites demonstrates covariations of HSE and their ratios with chromite Cr# values, indicating that chromite composition modulates its capacity to retain HSE. Peridotites containing chromite with low-Cr# (<45) exhibit consistent HSE concentrations and a decrease in Os-187/Os-188(t) ratios as chromite Cr# values increase, reflecting different partial melting degrees. In contrast, the refractory peridotites (with chromite Cr# > 45) show more scattered HSE variations and distinct trends with chromite Cr#, generally trending towards the chromitite field. This variability likely reflects the compositional effects of chromite on HSE variations, suggesting significant metasomatism and interaction with parental melts of chromitites or evolved melts. Therefore, chromite plays a critical role in the variations of HSE contents and Os-187/Os-188 within the refractory mantle.

We present new detrital zircon ages and major-element, trace-element, and isotopic compositions of the Ediacaran to Permian sedimentary successions of the Carnic Alps, Italy and Austria, to constrain the depositional history, provenance, and paleogeographic and paleotectonic setting of this world-class area of Paleozoic stratigraphy. Our data show that the lowermost Val Visdende Formation has an Ediacaran maximum depositional age (586 +/- 6 Ma) and thus may represent one of the oldest basement units in the Alps. The formation was deposited at the northern margin of Gondwana in a back-arc basin adjacent to the Trans-Saharan Belt and Saharan Metacraton. The overlying Ordovician successions record the initial breakup of the Paleocarnic chain from the northern Gondwana margin, followed by Silurian and Lower Devonian predominantly carbonate deposition either under reef or deep-shelf to anoxic deep-shelf conditions, near the same sources as the underlying Ordovician strata. The Early Devonian evolution reflects continued northward drift of the Paleocarnic chain with limestone deposition in an extensional regime, characterized by progressive basin deepening and pelagic sedimentation that persisted until the lowermost Visean. The subsequent Carboniferous evolution is marked by extensive siliciclastic turbidite (flysch) deposition, reflecting the onset of the Variscan orogeny when the Paleocarnic chain approached an active arc and Laurussia during the closure of the Rheic Ocean. Following the Variscan orogeny and erosion of paleo-relief, deposition of Guadalupian continental red beds reflects postorogenic extensional/strike-slip tectonics within the Pangaea supercontinent accompanied by widespread intra-plate magmatism.

The mechanisms and timing of the onset of modern-style plate tectonics and the origin of the supercontinent cycle have been a matter of vigorous debate, especially during the last decade. Plate tectonics requires large-magnitude horizontal motions of lithospheric plates, which have been challenging to reconstruct as the paleomagnetic record from the Archean terrains is prone to remagnetization and contractional structures may form even in a diapiric setting. Here we document a crustal-scale structural pattern and deformational sequence in the Superior Province, the largest Archean craton on Earth, interpreted as recording oroclinal buckling of a TTG-dominated La Grande ribbon terrane during and after its accretion to the inboard Hudson Bay terrane at ca. 2685-2666 Ma. The oroclinal buckling may have been facilitated by the overall high heat flow and thus weak crustal rheologies, typical for the Neoarchean, and progressed from north to south as did the granitic plutonism and siliciclastic deposition in outward-younging Opinaca-Nemiscau marine basins. We explain this buckling as resulting from impingement by the Abitibi greenstone belt, forming an outboard, relatively rigid block of thickened crust that likely jammed the subduction zone. Based on the line-length restoration, the orocline recorded at least 540 km of horizontal displacement and 44% horizontal shortening during a time span of ca. 19 Myr, which would correspond to a displacement rate of similar to 2.9 cm/yr. On a global scale, the presumed 'Superior' orocline may be viewed as an early stage of plate convergence to form the Superia supercraton at the end of the Archean and is thus the oldest of its kind that has been documented so far.

The Ransko (ultra)mafic massif, Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic, hosts several Ni–Cu–(PGE) deposits and peculiar Zn–Cu–Ba ores. Geochronology integrated with petrography, bulk-rock, and mineral compositions together with Sr–Nd–Pb–Hf–Os–O isotopic systematics of barren and variably mineralized (ultra)mafic lithologies as well as massive ores reveal a complex evolution of the Ransko massif and its mineralizations. The Sm–Nd and U–Pb ages obtained for gabbros and cross-cutting granite porphyry, respectively, overlap with Re–Os ages of Ni–Cu–(PGE) and Zn–Cu ores and limit the formation age of (ultra)mafic rocks and metal accumulations to 370–345 Ma. Compositional variations indicate derivation of parental melts of the Ransko massif from metasomatized, Variscan sub-arc mantle and underscore the importance of assimilation–fractional crystallization and crystal accumulation processes. The Ni–Cu ores were emplaced through the gravity-driven percolation of dense sulfide liquids along previously weakened structures associated with the downward crystal fractionation. The orogenic and arc-related nature of the Ransko Ni–Cu–(PGE) mineralization shares some remarkable similarities with some other Ni–Cu deposits in the European Variscan Belt highlighting the significance of these deposits emplaced in arc-related crustal domains. Yet, the variable nature of these mineralizations indicates complex processes that happen during the emplacement and evolution of the parental magmas driving their favourable metal contents.

The Miocene represents a critical period in the paleogeographic evolution of Eurasia, particularly in the Mediterranean region. Of special interest is the Middle Miocene, during which the closure of the enigmatic Indo-Mediterranean Gateway, which terminated water exchange between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean, remains incompletely understood. In this study, we present a unique geochemical dataset combining foraminiferal elemental ratios (Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, Fe/Ca, Li/Ca) with Sr-Nd isotopic systematics from two Langhian-aged successions in Lorestan, Iran: Tang-e Shabikhun and Haft Cheshmeh. While the data reveal a notable presence of non-carbonate material within foraminiferal tests, likely introduced through benthic fluxes, elevated Mg/Ca ratios may also reflect unusual paleoenvironmental conditions, potentially linked to warm, hypersaline settings prevailing during the Miocene Climatic Optimum. The analysed epsilon Nd values are relatively radiogenic and overlap with those reported from the Eastern Mediterranean, suggesting a palaeoceanographic connection between the two regions during the Langhian. In contrast, the detected Iranian epsilon Nd signatures differ markedly from those of the Indian Ocean and the Paratethys, indicating the absence of significant water mass exchange with these marine domains during this interval. These findings support the interpretation that, during the Langhian, the studied area formed part of a rather semi-enclosed marine basin characterized by low oxic, restricted conditions and sustained hydrographic connectivity with the Eastern Mediterranean.

The palaeoclimatic significance of continental red beds (CRB) is the subject of a long-standing debate. The CRBs are strikingly often found in association with arid, aeolian sediments, humid fluvial sediments and palaeosols, reflecting variable climatic regimes. In this study, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is used in combination with facies analysis, petrology, bulk-rock and in-situ major and trace element geochemistry, and molybdenum stable isotopes to better understand the origin and distribution of the hematite pigment in a spectrum of PermoTriassic aeolian, fluvial and pedogenic facies of the Colorado Plateau, Utah. Their red colour is characterized by high (> 30) percentage of red-band (625-700 nm) reflectance in the DRS spectra and high hematite-to-goethite peak height ratios (1.5 to 5.7) from their first derivatives. Most hematite occurs in form of submicronic to micron-sized, platy crystals in altered biotite grains, clayey grain coatings, clayey matrix, pyrite framboid pseudomorphs, and as pore-filling cement. Hematite is most abundant in palaeosols, but also present in aeolian, sand dune and damp interdune deposits, fluvial channel-fill, sandy and gravelly bars, and floodplain deposits. Iron for the hematitization was supplied from reductive release of Fe2+ from biotite and clay minerals. The hematitization itself occurred under oxic conditions, associated with formation of kaolinite, mobilization of V, Mo, As, U, and fractionation of rare earth elements and Mo isotopes, especially in lateritic palaeosols. Hematitization during weathering, pedogenesis, transportation and early diagenesis, and reworking and redeposition of the red material by rivers and wind is thought to be the principal mechanism of the formation of red beds in the Colorado Plateau. The processes of hematitization and the fluvial-aeolian dynamics were controlled by alternation of wetter and drier periods likely caused by the Permo-Triassic Pangean mega-monsoonal climatic regime.

The Middle Miocene salinity crisis in Central Europe and the Middle East is an example of a profound environmental transition in marine ecosystems resulting from the complex interplay of climatic and palaeoceanographic changes during the Middle Miocene. In this study, we use a combination of multi-proxy methods to reconstruct the environmental dynamics in Central Europe, right after the evaporitic depositional period, utilising material from two cores, Babczyn 2 and Cieszanow 1, located in the Polish part of the Carpathian Foredeep. From this perspective, understanding the environmental response to such changes is particularly relevant in the context of the unique palaeogeographic setting of Central Europe during the Middle Miocene, together with the final stage of existence of the Paratethys marine system, and the associated faunal turnaround known as the Badenian-Sarmatian extinction event. This study identifies and characterises a post-evaporitic phase marked by alternating different palaeoenvironments as reflected by the response of the various geochemical proxies, namely 143Nd/144Nd, 87Sr/86Sr, or by foraminiferal 818O and 813C. In general, periods of active communication, or at least exchange of water masses between neighbouring basins, alternated with periods of isolation, reflecting local and global triggering factors, all linked to three individual connectivity events.

The green tree python is quite a favorite pet for sale on the international market. The species is therefore protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). Since the illegal poaching of large numbers of specimens in the wild might lead to the detriment of native populations, and wildlife breeding farms were found to be serving as conduits to funnel wild-caught green tree pythons out of Indonesia, a forensic tool to distinguish wild-caught from captive-bred specimens could support the enforcement of CITES protections. To disrupt the illegal trade of green tree pythons, we have developed an effective tool to distinguish the animals supposedly bred in captivity from those caught in the wild, based on the strontium isotope composition in conjunction with trace element data. Like in human hair, 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values seem to vary according to the relative contribution of endogenous and exogenous sources. Thus, we infer that if there is enough sustainable strontium available for the analysis, it might be possible to use the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values in parallel with trace elements to distinguish wild-originated specimens from the in captivity-bred ones. Indeed, our pilot study on the shed skins of animals where the geographic origin was either the Czech Republic or Indonesia, confirms that shed skins can be effectively used for further forensic Sr radiogenic isotope analyses.

Continental red beds (CRB) are characteristic for their predominant red colour due to the widespread presence of ferric oxides (hematite or goethite) that might suggest distinctly oxygenated atmospheric conditions during their formation. Therefore, elemental and isotopic systematics of iron, a redox-sensitive element, can provide critical constraints on Fe cycling and possibly also palaeoredox conditions. However, our knowledge of the iron isotopic systematics (delta Fe-56) of CRB remains very limited. This prevents to evaluate whether these rocks are useful to trace past atmospheric oxygenation. To fill the gap, we present an extensive dataset of Fe elemental and isotopic data, paralleled by M & ouml;ssbauer and diffuse reflectance spectra, for classic Phanerozoic examples of CRB supplemented by the analyses of colour detrital grain coatings. The data reveal goethite as the principal phase within grey-green siliciclastic lithologies and detrital grain coatings. These samples show a positive correlation between Fe3+/Fe-T and delta Fe-56 (fine-grained lithologies) suggesting percolation of late-stage diagenetic fluids at variable redox and pH conditions connected with hematite dissolution. In contrast, the red facies are characterized by the predominance of hematite, largely variable Fe-T contents and delta Fe-56 values overlapping with those estimated for the upper continental crust. The overall lighter and more homogeneous delta Fe-56 values in Phanerozoic red beds compared to their Palaeoproterozoic (similar to 2.2 Ga) counterparts are consistent with more oxygenated atmosphere during the Phanerozoic. Therefore, the appearance of CRB may serve as an important marker of atmospheric oxygenation in the past.

Oceanic euxinia was one of the prime constraints for the Proterozoic nutrient availability and hence, eukaryotic expansion. Although available studies mostly point to the occurrence of sulfidic to ferruginous conditions in the Paleoproterozoic ocean, data on the areal extent of sulfidic settings are scarce. In this study, geochemical (major and trace elements, and iron-speciation), and Re-Os and Mo isotopic data for black shales from the Cumbum Formation, Cuddapah Basin (India) are presented. These datasets are used to constrain the depositional age and environment, and euxinic extent for the late Paleoproterozoic ocean. The Re-Os isochron for these shales provides a depositional (Model 3) age of 1658 +/- 50 Ma (2 sigma, n = 10), with an initial Os-187/Os-188 (Os-i) ratio of 0.03 +/- 0.53. Distribution of enrichment factors (EF) for redox-sensitive elements and their (Mo-EF/U-EF) ratio for the Cumbum shales indicates shale deposition in an anoxic basin. Further, high Fe-HR/Fe-T (0.61 +/- 0.18 (1 sigma)) and Fe-Py/Fe-HR (0.72 +/- 0.14 (1 sigma)) ratios confirm euxinic to ferruginous bottom-water conditions. The delta Mo-98 values of these shales (+0.68 +/- 0.13 parts per thousand (1 sigma)) are comparable to Paleoproterozoic shales (+0.51 +/- 0.57 parts per thousand (1 sigma)) and systematically lower in comparison to the present-day average seawater (+2.34 +/- 0.10 parts per thousand (1 sigma)) and euxinic sediments (+1.8 +/- 0.4 parts per thousand (1 sigma)) values. A mass balance modelling using Mo isotopic values of euxinic shales, their major sources and sinks, and related fractionation factors suggests an order of magnitude higher extent of ocean euxinia (similar to 5% of seafloor area) at 1.66 Ga than that observed for modern oceans (0.1 to 0.3 %). Such extensive euxinia in shallow-water environments under a weakly oxygenated atmosphere (>= 0.1 % PAL to <= 40 % PAL) could have played a major role in delaying the emergence of eukaryotes and multicellular life.

Geochemical and petrological data are reported for phonolites from the Lužické hory Mts. in the northeastern part of the Ohře (Eger) Rift near the junction with the Lusatian Fault. The rocks are collectively enriched in incompatible trace elements such as Rb, REEs, Zr, Hf, U, Th, Nb, Ta (concentrated mainly in hainite, Nb-rich titanite and aegirine) and volatile components such as F and Cl. On the other hand, the phonolites are significantly depleted in Ti and P and partly also in Sr and Ba contents. The K–Ar dating provided scattered ages in the range from 34 to 27 Ma. Two geochemically different phonolite types were recognized: (i) type A (higher Sr>90 ppm, Ba>130 ppm) having initial 87Sr/86Sr = 0.7032–0.7094 and εNd = 2.9–3.4, similar to those phonolites that are predominant in the nearby České středohoří Mts., and (ii) prevailing type B with lower contents of Sr<20 ppm and Ba<60 characterized by a decoupled Sr–Nd systematics (initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios up to ~0.714) at narrow εNd of 3.2–3.8. Yet, both phonolite types exhibit relatively restricted variations in initial 206Pb/204Pb (19.2–19.5), 207Pb/204Pb (15.61–15.66) and 208Pb/204Pb (39.07–39.30), indicating their derivation from a similar metasomatically enriched mantle source. The observed geochemical characteristics of the studied phonolites can be best explained by (i) variable degree of clinopyroxene and feldspar fractional crystallization from primary basanitic magma, (ii) degree of assimilation-fractional crystallization (AFC) processes during the magma ascent, and/or (iii) late-magmatic to post-magmatic hydrothermal processes related to selective enrichment of some incompatible elements.

The green tree python is quite a favorite pet for sale on the international market. The species is therefore protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). Since the illegal poaching of large numbers of specimens in the wild might lead to the detriment of native populations, and wildlife breeding farms were found to be serving as conduits to funnel wild-caught green tree pythons out of Indonesia, a forensic tool to distinguish wild-caught from captive-bred specimens could support the enforcement of CITES protections. To disrupt the illegal trade of green tree pythons, we have developed an effective tool to distinguish the animals supposedly bred in captivity from those caught in the wild, based on the strontium isotope composition in conjunction with trace element data. Like in human hair, 87Sr/86Sr values seem to vary according to the relative contribution of endogenous and exogenous sources. Thus, we infer that if there is enough sustainable strontium available for the analysis, it might be possible to use the 87Sr/86Sr values in parallel with trace elements to distinguish wild-originated specimens from the in captivity-bred ones. Indeed, our pilot study on the shed skins of animals where the geographic origin was either the Czech Republic or Indonesia, confirms that shed skins can be effectively used for further forensic Sr radiogenic isotope analyses.