DEFINITION OF WILDLIFE FORENSIC
Wildlife forensics basically deals with the application of knowledge of forensic science to the field of wildlife to solve legal cases involving crime against animals.
BRIEF HISTORY OF WILDLIFE FORENSICS
In earlier times only visual comparison and blood analysis of the samples were carried out. But with the development of immunological techniques, scientists were able to determine the family of specimen. Then, electrophoretic protein analysis came into being which helped them to identify the spices origin. Later on new analytical techniques like restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequence and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) came into being. This helped in solving the subspecies issues and helped the…show more content… The following are the criminalistics evidences obtained from a wildlife crime scene:
1. Trace evidence
2. Firearms
3. Other weapons
4. Impression marks
5. Latent fingerprints
6. Questioned documents
TRACE EVIDENCE
Examples of trace evidence includes fibres, gunshot residues, hair, pollen grains etc.
FIREARMS
There is a great difference in the manner an animal is killed with a firearm from that of a homicide case.
1. Distance from suspect to victim
2. Choice of firearm
3. Ability of the suspect to clean up the crime scene
4. Tendency of the suspect to take away the victim from the crime scene
5. Tendency of the suspect to reuse the same firearm frequently
Animals are usually shot with a high powered and large calibre rifle or a shot gun at relatively long distances that is from 50-300 metres. However, crime scenes involving humans usually a pistol at short contact to 25 metres are used.
OTHER WEAPONS
Other hunting weapons used in killing animals are:
1. Long bows and arrows
2. Crossbows and bolts
3. Spears
4. Spring traps
5. Poison discharge devices
6. Nets
IMPRESSION