Wildlife Forensics
Crimes against protected species: identification by morphology and DNA, CITES enforcement, poaching scenes, and ivory, horn and timber casework.
- 54hours
- 32topics
- 9modules
Foundations and the Scope of Wildlife Crime
What wildlife forensic science is, why it is a distinct discipline, the scale and structure of the illegal wildlife trade, and the international legal frameworks that create its mandate.
Start module- Scope and History of Wildlife ForensicsWildlife forensics applies laboratory science to crimes against animals and plants, tracing its roots from fisheries biology to a recognised discipline.13 min
- Scale and Structure of the Illegal Wildlife TradeThe illegal wildlife trade is a multi-billion-dollar transnational industry structured like narcotics, with source, transit, and consumer country roles.11 min
- CITES Appendices and International Legal FrameworksCITES divides protected species into three appendices with different trade controls, enforced by national laws like the US Lacey Act.13 min
- National Legislation and Enforcement AgenciesWildlife law enforcement is carried out by a patchwork of national agencies with different mandates and powers that forensic scientists must understand.12 min
Morphological Species Identification
The anatomy-based methods for identifying animal parts and products: hair, feather, scale, bone, horn, ivory, and shell. How reference collections, morphological keys, and microscopy underpin species attribution.
Start module- Hair, Feather, and Surface Covering IdentificationHow forensic scientists use microscopy, UV fluorescence, and reference databases to identify species from hair, feathers, and other surface coverings.13 min
- Scale, Skin, and Leather IdentificationMethods for identifying reptile scales, pangolin scales, crocodilian osteoderms, and processed leather in wildlife crime casework.11 min
- Bone and Skeletal Element IdentificationGross morphology, histological osteon structure, and osteometric discriminant analysis for identifying wildlife bones in trade seizures.10 min
- Ivory, Horn, and Tusk ExaminationForensic identification of elephant, mammoth, narwhal, hippo, and warthog ivory and rhino horn using Schreger line angles, microstructure, and DNA.12 min
- Morphological Keys and Reference CollectionsVoucher specimens, museum collections, and reference libraries anchor wildlife species identifications, though under-described taxa leave a database gap.14 min
Molecular and Genomic Species Identification
DNA-based methods for species identification, individual profiling, and geographic provenance determination. Barcoding loci, population genetics, stable isotopes, and the databases that make them work.
Start module- DNA Barcoding, STR Profiling, and Individual IdentificationDNA barcoding confirms species identity while STR profiling ties a seized sample to a specific animal, linking poached ivory or tissue to its source.13 min
- Population Genetics, Geographic Provenance, and Stable IsotopesPopulation-level genetic assignment and stable isotope analysis can pinpoint where a seized wildlife product originated, placing it at a poaching hotspot.12 min
- DNA from Degraded and Processed Wildlife ProductsFormalin, heat treatment, and species blending all destroy DNA, but short-amplicon and NGS metagenomic strategies can still recover identifications.13 min
Poaching Scene Investigation
How wildlife crime scenes differ from conventional crime scenes, and the specialist techniques for documenting, recovering, and interpreting evidence at poaching sites.
Start module- Wildlife Crime Scene ManagementWildlife crime scenes demand the same rigour as a homicide investigation but in remote, cross-jurisdictional terrain, covered here through scene documentation.14 min
- Ballistics Evidence in Wildlife PoachingFirearms leave rifling marks, extractor marks, and wound tracks that reveal calibre and range, often the only link between a firearm and an animal's death.12 min
- Snares, Traps, and Cable EvidenceWire snares, the most common poaching method globally, carry class and tool-mark evidence, injury patterns, and trace transfers back to whoever set them.12 min
- Poison and Pesticide Evidence in Wildlife CasesPoisoning can kill dozens of animals from a single bait, and identifying the compound requires a toxicology chain from field kits to confirmatory LC-MS.13 min
- Ageing, Sexing, and Geographic Provenance of SpecimensDetermining a specimen's age, sex, and geographic origin shows whether it was wild or captive-bred and whether its stated age matches the physical evidence.12 min
Ivory, Rhino Horn, and Large Mammal Casework
Species- and stock-specific casework for the highest-value illegal trade commodities: elephant ivory, rhinoceros horn, and big-cat products, with the science behind each exhibit type.
Start module- Elephant Ivory ForensicsHow forensic scientists distinguish African, Asian, and mammoth ivory using Schreger angles, radiocarbon dating, and DNA geographic assignment.13 min
- Rhinoceros Horn ForensicsForensic techniques for identifying rhino horn, including microstructure and SEM analysis, STR profiling against RhODIS, and stockpile laundering detection.12 min
- Big Cat and Bear Product IdentificationForensic methods for identifying products from tigers, lions, snow leopards, and bears, including bone PCR, fur analysis, and bear bile fingerprinting.13 min
Pangolin, Marine Species, and Other Traded Taxa
Casework methods for pangolins, sea turtles, sharks, and high-volume traded reptiles, covering the species-specific forensic challenges each group presents.
Start module- Pangolin Scale ForensicsPangolins are the world's most trafficked mammals, and scale microstructure, protein fingerprinting, and DNA barcoding now identify species and detect blending.12 min
- Sea Turtle ForensicsAll seven sea turtle species are CITES Appendix I protected, and scute pattern geometry plus DNA now assign species, population, and identity to seized shell.12 min
- Shark and Ray Product IdentificationThe shark fin and manta ray gill plate trade generate billions annually, identified from dried products using morphology, DNA barcoding, and age rings.15 min
Timber and Plant Forensics
The forensic identification of traded timber and other CITES-listed plants, including wood anatomy, DNA, and isotopic tools, applied to the illegal timber trade.
Start module- Wood Anatomy and Timber IdentificationForensic timber identification uses microscopic wood anatomy, including vessel patterns and ray cells, to match seized lumber against CITES-listed species.14 min
- DNA and Isotope Methods for TimberWhen wood anatomy cannot separate related species or origin, chloroplast microsatellites and isotope ratios supply the data CITES enforcement needs.13 min
- CITES Flora and Plant Product ForensicsForensic identification of CITES-listed plants, from orchids to cacti, uses DNA barcoding and chemical fingerprinting to intercept illegal trade.16 min
Specialist Laboratories, Databases, and Quality Systems
The global network of wildlife forensic laboratories, the reference databases they maintain and share, and the accreditation and quality standards that govern admissible evidence.
Start module- Global Wildlife Forensic LaboratoriesA survey of the dedicated laboratories worldwide that test wildlife evidence, from the sole accredited US facility to specialist units across the globe.12 min
- Reference Databases in Wildlife ForensicsA guide to the major reference databases used to identify species and origins and link seizures, including their significant coverage gaps.13 min
- Accreditation and Quality Systems in Wildlife ForensicsHow ISO 17025 and SWFS quality guidelines apply to wildlife labs, covering method validation, proficiency testing, and chain of custody.16 min
Court, Ethics, and Emerging Directions
How wildlife forensic evidence is presented in court, the statistical interpretation of species and population matches, ethical issues in the discipline, and emerging methods including eDNA and remote sensing.
Start module- Expert Evidence and Statistical Interpretation in CourtHow wildlife forensic scientists present species evidence in court and communicate likelihood ratios and Bayesian statistics to judges and juries.15 min
- Ethics and the Forensic Scientist in Wildlife CasesThe ethical tensions wildlife forensic scientists face working for conservation agencies, handling intelligence, and operating in high-corruption environments.14 min
- Environmental DNA and Emerging Detection TechnologiesHow environmental DNA metabarcoding, remote sensing, acoustic monitoring, and machine-learning image recognition are expanding wildlife crime detection.15 min