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Shining a Light on Wildlife Forensics
One area of forensics that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough is the area of wildlife crime. Wildlife crime like others, happens every single day around the world. Globally, poaching is a crime of huge international significance, which is in many cases contributing to the extinction of many of our planet’s most treasured species. We’ve all seen footage of elephants, rhinos and big game animals being tracked down by hunters seeking to harvest valuable ivory or perhaps even just an attractive trophy for their wall. However, poaching is in no way limited to these high-profile occurrences. In 2023, Interpol stated that “illegal wildlife trade has become one of the world’s largest criminal activities”. They estimated that the black market for illegal wildlife products worth up to 20 billion USD per year, poaching and the illegal wildlife trade has become a major area of activity for organized crime groups and is increasingly linked with armed violence, corruption and other forms of organized crime.
Introduction
Wildlife Forensics is a specialized branch of forensic science that deals with crimes involving animals, from illegal poaching and trafficking to habitat destruction. Its primary goal is to identify, analyze, and interpret evidence related to wildlife crimes, supporting law enforcement agencies, conservationists, and researchers in their efforts to protect endangered species and ecosystems.
Every country faces its own unique variation of illegal hunting that needs to be investigated, prosecuted, and ultimately discouraged. Here in the UK, the National Wildlife Crime Unit has been established to provide operational support to law enforcement and to act as a focal point for wildlife, crime, intelligence, and investigation in the UK. The NWCU website currently lists the following as common wildlife crime offenses here in the United Kingdom hare coursing deer and fish poaching badger persecution including baiting, snaring, shooting and disturbance of assets and bat persecution.
The trade-in ivory, tortoises, rhino horn and other protected species, including caviar, traditional Chinese medicines and even orchids, egg theft and collection and bird of prey persecution through poisoning, trapping, shooting, disturbance of the nest and theft of chicks. The last two items on the list egg theft and bird of prey persecution are growing problems here in the UK, and despite the RSPB highlighting a big increase in cases, very few arrests or prosecutions are taking place.
Research into latent mark detections on difficult surfaces relevant to wildlife crime includes human and animal skins, foodstuffs, fabrics and animals. Cyanoacrylate Fuming and powdering techniques have been reported as potential enhancement techniques for deer antlers, elephant tusks and live reptiles. The use of cyanoacrylate and fluorescent powders is a good example of using existing, commonplace forensic tools and techniques to investigate wildlife crimes.
Not Just Animals
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service employs the use of the world’s only full-service mobile forensic laboratory specialising in wildlife forensics. It supports the work of enforcement agents and inspectors who protect threatened and endangered species; who prosecute illegal hunting, poaching, and smuggling; and who investigate multi-billion dollar international black-market criminal enterprises trading in hides, skins, eggs, organs, and other wildlife specimens.
Wildlife crime however, is not just about animals, poaching and hunting, it is also about the illegal logging and timber trade, Worth an estimated $51–$152 billion annually, the illegal timber industry simultaneously threatens the world’s forests and steals from local communities that rely on forests for food, health, and wealth. In addition to destroying biodiversity and contributing significant greenhouse gas emissions, illegal logging has devastating economic and social impacts in forest countries. From the violence and human rights abuses suffered by local forest communities to billions of dollars in much-needed tax revenue lost each year, these crimes are enabled by international markets and the trade in illegal timber.
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service employs the use of the world’s only full-service mobile forensic laboratory specialising in wildlife forensics. It supports the work of enforcement agents and inspectors who protect threatened and endangered species; prosecute illegal hunting, poaching, and smuggling; and investigate multi-billion dollar international black-market criminal enterprises trading in hides, skins, eggs, organs, and other wildlife specimens.
Wildlife crime however, is not just about animals, poaching and hunting, it is also about the illegal logging and timber trade, Worth an estimated $51–$152 billion annually, the illegal timber industry simultaneously threatens the world’s forests and steals from local communities that rely on forests for food, health, and wealth. In addition to destroying biodiversity and contributing significant greenhouse gas emissions, illegal logging has devastating economic and social impacts in forest countries. From the violence and human rights abuses suffered by local forest communities to billions of dollars in much-needed tax revenue lost each year, these crimes are enabled by international markets and the trade in illegal timber.
Use of ALS in Wildlife Crime
The use of a forensic light source in the detection of ivory or bone fragments plays a pivotal role in the ongoing battle against wildlife crime, especially the illegal trade in endangered species. Ivory, prized for its aesthetic appeal and historical significance, is often trafficked in various forms, including carved artefacts, trinkets, and ornamental items. Forensic light sources, equipped with specific wavelengths, can unveil intricate details on ivory or bone surfaces that might otherwise remain concealed. The natural fluorescence emitted by these materials under such illumination aids in distinguishing between authentic ivory and synthetic alternatives. This capability is crucial, given that counterfeit ivory, often made from resins, is prevalent in the market. By leveraging forensic light sources, law enforcement can uncover hidden details, assess the authenticity of seized items, and build stronger cases against traffickers, contributing significantly to the enforcement of wildlife protection laws and the conservation of endangered species.
The use of forensic alternate light sources is incredibly important when trying to examine a crime scene or evidence in a setting of wildlife crime. Especially an alternate light source such as the Crime-lite AUTO, is used in the field to capture a full multispectral snapshot of the crime scene and perform visible infrared examinations of any evidence with information being quickly fed back to a central office or laboratory. Video footage is also possible using the crime light auto at one time. The multispectral imaging achieved by the crime lab auto was only possible using a large lab-based piece of equipment such as a VSC.
Fraudulent Documentation
The VSC is employed worldwide in multiple different scenarios, environments, and applications. However, the most popular application for the VSC is the inspection and interrogation of questioned documents.
The VSC can perform a multi-spectral illumination examination of a questioned document to reveal its hidden details and uncover the evidence. It can see through the layers of a document to reveal how it was tampered with. It can differentiate between original and copied signatures and writing.
The VSC is often used to examine documents for ink analysis; different inks fluoresce under varied light conditions based on their properties. Even inks from the same source have different properties; we can use the VSC workstations to analyse these inks and see when/if a document was tampered with.
Fraudulent documents often go hand in hand with illicit wildlife trade, Fake papers are frequently produced, or genuine documents altered to disguise the authenticity, illegality, quantity, volume, origin or destination of Wildlife and wildlife products. This can also involve the removal, alteration, defacing or erasure of customs stamps or labels affixed to restricted animals and plants. In some countries, there are specific offences directly related to the use of fraudulent documents in the context of wildlife trafficking.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the realm of wildlife crime is a complex and pervasive issue that extends far beyond the publicized poaching incidents of iconic species. The interconnected web of illegal activities, from the trafficking of ivory and endangered species to the illegal logging and timber trade, poses a serious threat to our planet’s biodiversity and ecosystems. As highlighted by Interpol, the illicit wildlife trade has grown to become one of the world’s largest criminal activities, with an estimated value of up to 20 billion USD annually.
Wildlife forensics emerges as a crucial tool in the fight against these crimes, addressing challenges specific to animal-related offences, including poaching, habitat destruction, and fraudulent documentation. The use of forensic light sources, such as the Crime-lite AUTO, plays a pivotal role in detecting bone fragments, ivory, and other critical evidence in the field. This technology enables law enforcement to capture multispectral snapshots of crime scenes, perform examinations, and quickly relay information back to central offices or laboratories.
Moreover, the significance of forensic tools extends beyond animals to the realm of documents. The Video Spectral Comparator (VSC) becomes an invaluable asset in uncovering fraudulent documents associated with wildlife trafficking. By employing multi-spectral illumination examinations, the VSC reveals hidden details, exposes tampering, and distinguishes between original and altered signatures. This capability is particularly crucial in the context of wildlife crime, where the production of fake papers and the alteration of genuine documents are common tactics to conceal the illegality of trafficking.
As we navigate the intricate web of wildlife crime, it is evident that a comprehensive approach, encompassing forensic science, international cooperation, and stringent law enforcement, is necessary to address the root causes and consequences of these activities. The research and technologies discussed in this article offer hope for a transformative impact on wildlife crime convictions, contributing to the global efforts to protect endangered species, preserve biodiversity, and combat organized criminal enterprises involved in this destructive trade.
Learn More
Crime-lite® X
Handheld, Multi-Spectral LED Light Source with Advanced Functionality: The biggest leap forward in Forensic Light Source technology for over 20 years.
A complete ALS kit in a single light source, the Crime-lite X enables the examiner to seamlessly switch between White, UV, Violet, Blue, Blue/Green, Green, Orange, Red, and Infrared LEDs, to perform a comprehensive multi-spectral examination of a crime scene.
Operated via a simple 3-button interface, the Crime-lite X provides new functionality never seen before in a forensic light source that will ensure that crime scene and laboratory examiners reveal the maximum amount of evidence in every examination.
Crime-lite® AUTO
RELATED WEBINAR
Wildlife Forensics
Wildlife forensics is a relatively new field of criminal investigation. In many countries, lags far behind other fields of forensic science in terms of budget and the availability of manpower, equipment and resources.
In this webinar, we focus on getting the most out of a limited range of equipment and using common forensic tools and instruments, occasionally in unexpected ways, to examine wildlife crimes.