Physical Evidences found in Wildlife Forensics

2. TOPIC :
Identification Of Physical Evidences
Pertaining To Wildlife Forensics….
Presented by- Megha Jain
Volunteer of AFRS

3. Content :-
 Introduction
 Physical Evidence
 Common Types Of Physical Evidence
 Identification Of Physical Evidence Pertaining To Wildlife Forensic Science.
 Samples
 Collection Procedure
 DNA Typing in wildlife
 Scope & Significance Of Wildlife Forensic

4. Introduction :
• What is wild life ?
• Wildlife originally meant non-domesticated animal species . It now includes
all plants, fungi and other organisms which grow or live wild in an area without being
introduced by humans.
• Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all
over the planet. It has had a big effect on the environment, both positive and negative.
• Wildlife can be found in all ecosystems. Deserts, forests, rain forests, plains, grasslands, and
other areas including the most developed urban sites, all have distinct forms of wildlife. Most
scientists agree that wildlife around is affected by human activities. A garden is not a
natural habitat, but it is full of genuine wildlife.

5.  Forensic science: it is the use of scientific methods or expertise to investigate
crimes or examine evidence that might be presented in a court of law.
Forensic science comprises a diverse array of disciplines, from fingerprint and
DNA analysis to anthropology and wildlife forensics.
wildlife forensic : it is a application of forensic science to conserve & protect
non domesticated animals both in wild & in captivity .
llegal importation & exportation are silent features of wildlife crime cases .
Knowledge of botany & plant should be necessary for wildlife case work .
Eg : wolf – wild animal
Dog – domestic animal

6. Physical Evidences :
 Physical evidences are those evidences which we can see , touch , also we can collect
easily .
 The physical evidences are like fingerprints, footprints, handprints, tidemarks, cut
marks, tool marks, etc. These are collected carefully and examined in laboratory using
forensic technique.
 These are collected carefully and examined in laboratory using forensic techniques.

8. Identification of Physical Evidences
Pertaining to Wildlife Forensic Science.
 Wildlife crime investigation takes a lot more complicated as compared to other
investigation scenes .
I. Recognition
II. Collection
III. Preservation
 wildlife DNA forensic is well concerned and appropriates with the identification of
biological evidence of determination of species gender .

9.  Samples :
DNA is extracted from highly processed and degraded products commonly
encountered in wildlife trade markets such as :
• Hairs
• Bones
• Ivory

10. • rhinoceros horns
• Turtle shells
• Feather
• Fish scales

11. Collection Procedure :
 MEAT SAMPLE :
I. Wear gloves always
II. Entire meat should be collected always
III. Pack meat in box ,with all information
IV. Freeze the sample & ship in an ice packed , sealed Styrofoam
container. (temp.-below 80)
V. submit

12. Hair/Fiber/Feather/Scales:
I. Wear gloves always
II. Use tweezer to pluck the hair with root
III. Collect atleast 25 hair samples with hair follicle.
IV. Handle hair from tip not root .
V. Pack hair in paper paper bag .
VI. Write all required details.
VII. Submit.

13. DNA typing :
• DNA typing has been used in identification of species from the
processed and dried internal organ of Himalayan black bear &
American beaver.
• Several fake objects like tiger claw and skin were also traded in the
market . Such fake item can be easily differentiated from original item
by DNA typing .
• Can identify the species from the product made of tanned skin
including the skin of snake which are examined by morphological
characteristics like cuticular feature etc..
• two suspected ivory idols were examined for the identification of
source of origin . This identification was established by species specific
primer developed for elephant. Comparison of DNA sequence
confirmed that the idols are origined from Asian elephant .

14. Scope & Significance Of Wildlife Forensic :
 Like Human forensic, wildlife forensic also have same talk, to relate suspect,victim & crime
scene in a triangular manner with the physical evidence recovered from the crime .
 There are 3 ways in which wild animals , free living , & captive are involved in investigation :
i. Be the cause of an incident : If they injure a person , damage property or spread infection
disease .
ii. Be the victim : If they killed , injured , exported illegally or treated inhumanely .
iii. Provide information about incident :because they are present when a crime was committed
and their hair or other material remains as evidence .

15. THANK YOU