It is essential that forensic applications be used to the fullest extent possible to combat illegal trade in wildlife, as is emphasized in a number of CITES Resolutions and Decisions. In tackling illegal trade in wildlife, investigative questions may relate to both the identification of perpetrators involved, and the identification of the wildlife specimens found. The former is the subject of traditional forensic analyses, such as human DNA profiling or ballistics, while the latter is the subject of wildlife forensics. Although these categorizations are not entirely fixed within the forensic community, they are generally considered as the best rule of thumb. In the case of CITES implementation and enforcement, the investigative questions to address in relation to the identification of animals and plants, or their parts and derivatives, can generally be categorized into five groups, concerning:
- the species involved;
- the geographic origin of a specimen;
- the wild or captive/cultivated source of a specimen;
- the individual origin of a specimen;
- the age of a specimen.
Within these five categories of investigative questions, there are a wide range of specific enforcement needs, some of which can be addressed using generic wildlife forensic methods, others that require a much more specialist approach.
Resolutions / Decisions
- Paragraph 19 b) of Resolution Conf. 11.3 (Rev CoP19) on Compliance and enforcement
- Paragraphs 1. g) and 1. h) in Resolution Conf. 9.14 (Rev. CoP19) on Conservation of and trade in African and Asian rhinoceroses
- Paragraphs 22 to 26 in Resolution Conf. 10.10 (Rev CoP19) on Trade in elephant specimens
- Decisions 19.145 to 19.147 on Identification of timber and other wood products
- Decision 19.115 on Rhinoceroses (Rhinocerotidae spp.)
- Decision 19.109 on Asian big cats (Felidae spp.)
- List of Resolutions with provisions on forensic applications
Related CITES meeting documents
- CoP19 Doc.33 on Enforcement matters
- CoP18 Doc.32 on Enforcement matters
- CoP17 Doc.25 on Enforcement matters
Tools and Resources
- Directory of laboratories conducting wildlife forensic testing:
- Development of an electronic directory of laboratories that conform to a defined minimum standard for conducting wildlife forensic testing (CoP18)
- Review of wildlife forensic science and laboratory capacity to support the implementation and enforcement of CITES (CoP17)
- Form for collection and sharing of data on rhinoceros horn seizures and on samples for forensic analysis (Resolution Conf. 9.14 (Rev. CoP17) - Annex)
Other tools and resources
ICCWC resources:
- Guidelines on Methods and Procedures of Ivory Sampling and Analysis
- Training video on ivory sampling available in Arabic, Chinese, English and French
- Best practice guide for forensic timber identification
- The Law Enforcement Best Practice Flow Diagram for Timber leads front-line officers through the steps that should be completed when dealing with a load or shipment containing timber
- Wildlife Incident Support Teams (WISTs) consist of enforcement staff or relevant experts, that can be dispatched at the request of a country that has been affected by significant poaching, is confronted by a complex investigation, or that has made a large-scale seizure of CITES specimens, to assist authorities and guide and facilitate appropriate follow-up actions. A WIST can for example be deployed to assist national authorities to collect DNA samples from a large-scale ivory seizure for forensic analysis
Ivory ID:
- Ivory ID contains more than 700 reference samples from 30 African countries using data obtained from elephant ivory, with proven origin, provided by countries of origin, museums and others. It was developed as a tool to assist Parties in determining the age and origin of ivory, through isotope analysis. Ivory ID include contact information of certified laboratories that conduct isotope analyses
Other Resources:
Wildlife forensics success stories and developments
- Foramen ovale as a new determinative sign for the identification of tiger (Panthera tigiris) and lion (Panthera leo) skulls. (2024)
- Free as a bird: how forensic genomics is helping to stop wildlife trafficking. (April 2024)
- Poachers beware: New online tool traces illegal lion products back to source. (November 2023)
- Wildlife forensic laboratory in Viet Nam provides support to law enforcement despite COVID restrictions. (January 2022)
- NParks opens Singapore's first Center for Wildlife Forensics. (August 2021)
- FORENSICS FOR WILDLIFE, Analysing DNA from seized elephant ivory adds teeth to the fight against the illegal wildlife trade. UNDP (2021)
- In fight against wildlife trafficking, Brazil police turn to nuclear science. MONGABAY, (2021)
- African Wildlife Forensics Network.
- The Centre for Wildlife Forensics (CWF), Singapore
- DNA To The Rescue: How Researchers Are Finding Illegal Shark Fins
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory in Ashland helps elephant ivory tell its secrets
- Combating transnational organized crime by linking multiple large ivory seizures to the same dealer – Journal of Science Advances
- ICCWC deploys a Wildlife Incident Support Team (WIST) to Sri Lanka
