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Wildlife Forensics: Sharks, Timber, and CITES Flora

Published:

Questions

30

Duration

30 min

Faculty-reviewed

0

Updated

18 Jun 2026

Score, per-question explanations and topic breakdown shown right after you submit.

About this mock

This mock covers five specialist areas of wildlife forensics at medium difficulty: shark and ray product identification under CITES Appendix II, microscopic wood anatomy and macroscopic timber identification for seized lumber and wood products, DNA barcoding and stable isotope fingerprinting as secondary methods for timber provenance, forensic identification of CITES-listed plant products including agarwood, orchids, and cacti, and the global network of dedicated wildlife forensic laboratories.

Questions connect two concepts or ask you to apply a procedure to a scenario, with distractors drawn from closely related species, adjacent analytical methods, or near-neighbour regulatory categories. Accurate recall of technique capabilities, CITES Appendix listings, and laboratory accreditation status is needed to distinguish correct answers from plausible alternatives.

This mock is appropriate for students in wildlife conservation science, environmental law enforcement, MSc forensic science programmes with a wildlife or environmental module, and practitioners preparing for the CWFC credential or equivalent certification. It is also relevant to customs officers, rangers, and wildlife trade analysts who encounter physical evidence in the field.

Topics covered:

  • Shark fin morphology and CITES Appendix II listing requirements
  • Manta and devil ray gill plate identification
  • Microscopic wood anatomy: vessel elements, rays, and parenchyma
  • Macroscopic and organoleptic timber identification
  • DNA barcoding markers for plant and timber identification
  • Stable isotope and ICP-MS trace-element provenance methods
  • Forensic identification of CITES-listed plant products
  • Global wildlife forensic laboratory capabilities and accreditation

Allow 30 minutes.

Sources & references

Questions in this mock are written and verified against the following sources. Citations are recorded per question and shown in the explanation after submission.

  • IAWA Committee on Nomenclature — IAWA List of Microscopic Features for Hardwood Identification

    Section 3: Apotracheal parenchyma, banded subtype (IAWA feature 7)

    cited in 2 questions

  • Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023)

    Section 45 IEA 1872 / Section 39 BSA 2023: Opinions of experts as relevant facts

    Open source
    cited in 1 question

  • Butterfield, B.G. and Meylan, B.A. — Three-Dimensional Structure of Wood

    Storied rays and axial parenchyma as diagnostic features in Meliaceae timber

    cited in 1 question

  • Guglich, E.A. et al. — PCR-based forensic genotyping of bear bile

    Cytochrome b as the marker for bear species discrimination in wildlife forensic casework

    cited in 1 question

  • Goettsch, B. et al. — High proportion of cactus species threatened with extinction

    Forensic identification methods for seized cactus specimens: SEM and DNA barcoding

    cited in 1 question

  • TRAFFIC — The Cycad Trade: Analysis of CITES Trade Data

    Forensic genetics approaches for distinguishing wild-collected from propagated cycad specimens

    cited in 1 question

  • SWGWILDLIFE — Guidelines for Wildlife Species Identification by Forensic DNA Analysis

    Section on reference database requirements and species identification procedures

    cited in 1 question

  • Horacek, M. et al. — Stable isotope ratios and trace element fingerprinting for geographic origin

    Multi-element ICP-MS approach for timber provenance, REE and radiogenic isotopes

    cited in 1 question

  • Koch, G. and Richter, H.G. — ITTO Technical Report: Timber Tracking and Traceability

    Reference database construction for timber provenance: certified origin requirements

    cited in 1 question

  • Barden, A. et al. — Heart of the Matter: Agarwood Use and Trade

    Chapter 2: Macroscopic and organoleptic identification of agarwood for enforcement

    cited in 1 question

  • CITES Secretariat — Resolution Conf. 11.11 (Rev. COP15): Regulation of trade in plants

    Artificial propagation criteria and forensic DNA methods for orchid verification

    Open source
    cited in 1 question

  • Naef, R. — The volatile and semi-volatile constituents of agarwood: a review

    Chromone derivatives and sesquiterpenes as chemical markers for Aquilaria authentication

    cited in 1 question

  • Mansfield, S. and McAliley, L.R. — Wildlife Forensics: Methods and Applications (Waye and Brodbeck, eds.)

    Chapter on academic-government collaboration: Trent University Wildlife Forensic DNA Laboratory

    cited in 1 question

  • Degen, B. et al. — Development and transfer into practice of DNA-based methods for timber tracking

    Chloroplast microsatellite haplotype analysis for geographic provenance of Swietenia macrophylla

    cited in 1 question

  • Wildlife Crime Control Bureau — List of Wildlife Forensic Laboratories in India

    SACON role: ornithological specimens and feather identification for Wildlife Protection Act cases

    cited in 1 question

  • Asif, M.J. and Cannon, C.H. — DNA extraction from processed wood for CITES enforcement

    Short amplicon strategy for degraded timber DNA in CITES enforcement contexts

    cited in 1 question

  • Wheeler, E.A. et al. — IAWA List of Microscopic Features for Hardwood Identification

    Section 1: Porosity and vessel distribution criteria

    cited in 1 question

  • Hollingsworth, P.M. et al. — A DNA barcode for land plants

    PNAS 2009, core two-locus barcode recommendation: rbcL and matK

    Open source
    cited in 1 question

  • TRAFFIC and CITES Secretariat — A Guide to the Sharks and Rays of the Indian Ocean

    Chapter 3: Hammerhead shark fin identification, anterior lobe and cephalofoil features

    cited in 1 question

  • TRAFFIC — Identification Guide to CITES-Listed Rosewoods

    First-tier screening: UV fluorescence method for Dalbergia detection

    cited in 1 question

  • TRAFFIC — Shark and Ray Product Identification for Inspectors

    Section on gill plate morphology: Mobula species identification features

    cited in 1 question

  • Gasson, P. — Wood Anatomy of the Leguminosae

    Dalbergia genus account: vessel perforation plates and axial parenchyma

    cited in 1 question

  • Abercrombie, D.L. et al. — Guide to the Shark Fins of the Northeastern United States

    Carcharhinus longimanus morphological features in dried fin identification

    cited in 1 question

  • CITES Secretariat — Resolution Conf. 12.10 (Rev. COP18): Trade in Appendix II shark species

    Section on permit issuance and NDF obligations of Management and Scientific Authorities

    Open source
    cited in 1 question

  • Spaet, J.L.Y. et al. — Molecular identification of shark and ray products in the global fin trade

    COI barcoding applied to dried elasmobranch products including Mobula gill plates

    cited in 1 question

  • Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 US 579 (1993)

    Four-factor Daubert test for expert scientific testimony admissibility in US federal courts

    cited in 1 question

  • Kagawa, A. and Leavitt, S.W. — Stable carbon isotopes of tree rings as a tool to pinpoint origin

    Background on oxygen isotope gradients in precipitation and cellulose incorporation

    cited in 1 question

  • US Fish and Wildlife Service — National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory Overview

    Laboratory accreditation status under ASCLD/LAB ISO/IEC 17025

    Open source
    cited in 1 question

  • Compagno, L.J.V. — FAO Species Catalogue Vol. 4: Sharks of the World

    Carcharhinus falciformis species account: skin texture and denticle morphology

    cited in 1 question

How our mocks are built

Questions are written and edited by the ForensicSpot team and cited from peer-reviewed forensic textbooks, official syllabi and primary case law. Each one is verified before publishing. Detailed explanations show after you submit, so the test stays a real test. See a mistake? Tell us.

Common questions

What does the Wildlife Forensics: Sharks, Timber, and CITES Flora mock cover?+

This mock covers five specialist areas of wildlife forensics at medium difficulty: shark and ray product identification under CITES Appendix II, microscopic wood anatomy and macroscopic timber identification for seized lumber and wood products, DNA barcoding and stable isotope fingerprinting as secondary methods for timber provenance, forensic identification of CITES-listed plant products including agarwood, orchids, and cacti, and the global network of dedicated wildlife forensic laboratories.

How many questions and how long is the test?+

30 multiple-choice questions, 30 minutes total. Difficulty: medium. Tier: Premium.

Who is this mock for?+

Forensic science students and aspirants who want timed, exam-style practice with explanations and verified source citations on Wildlife Forensics. Useful for postgraduate entrance preparation and for BSc / MSc forensic students testing their recall under time.

Are the questions reviewed?+

Each question carries a verified source citation. Faculty review for individual questions is in progress.

Do I need an account to take this mock?+

Yes, a free ForensicSpot account is required to start a timed attempt — this lets you save progress, see per-question explanations after submission, and track your topic-level performance over time.

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