WII Dehradun
Definition
Wildlife Institute of India. Autonomous MoEFCC institution. Houses the Wildlife Forensic and Conservation Genetics Cell, the country's central wildlife forensic facility. Maintains the National Wildlife Genetic Resource Bank.
- Parent ministry
- MoEFCC (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change)
- Type
- Autonomous institution
- Key unit
- Wildlife Forensic and Conservation Genetics Cell
- Resource maintained
- National Wildlife Genetic Resource Bank
- Location
- Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Common questions
What kind of casework does the Wildlife Forensic and Conservation Genetics Cell handle?+
It processes seized samples such as skins, bones, meat, and derivatives to identify species and, where relevant, individual or population origin, supporting prosecutions under the Wildlife (Protection) Act and CITES-related enforcement.
How does WII differ from a state forensic science laboratory?+
State FSLs are general-purpose criminal forensic labs; WII is a specialist national referral centre for wildlife cases, with reference genetic material and species-identification expertise that general FSLs typically lack.
Why does a genetic resource bank matter for prosecutions?+
A reference bank of verified species DNA profiles lets an examiner compare a questioned sample against known standards, which strengthens species identification testimony and helps withstand challenges in court.
Related terms
- CCMB LaCONES
- Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad. CSIR institute that handles DNA-based species...
- CITES Appendices I/II/III
- Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Appendix I: no commercial international trade (tiger, Indian rhino). Appendix II: trade regulated by permit....
- COI Barcoding
- DNA-based species identification using a standard 658 bp segment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene. Sequences are matched against reference...
- Cyt-B Barcoding
- PCR amplification and sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene. The standard marker for species identification of mammals from skin, hair, bone or...
- NTCA
- National Tiger Conservation Authority. Statutory body under WLPA (2006 amendment) that administers Project Tiger and the network of 50-plus tiger reserves.
- Schedules I to VI (Pre-2022) / I to IV (Post-2022)
- Lists appended to the WLPA that classify species by level of protection. Schedule I species (tiger, rhino, pangolin, snow leopard) receive absolute...
- WCCB
- Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. Statutory multi-disciplinary body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), created by the 2006 amendment...
- Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 (WLPA)
- Central Indian statute that regulates protection of wild animals, birds and plants. Provides for Schedules of species, sanctuaries, national parks, the WCCB...