Wildlife Forensics

At the Australian Museum we are able to use DNA-based Wildlife Forensics to identify an unknown sample to the animal species it came from.

Shark fins

Shark fins
Rebecca Johnson © Australian Museum

What is DNA-based Wildlife Forensics?

DNA-based wildlife forensics is where we extract DNA from an unknown sample and try to match it to a known sample from our reference collection.

Why is it useful?

This technique is particularly useful when animal tissue is unidentifiable to species because:

  • It has been treated (i.e. tanned to make leather)
  • It has been mutilated (i.e. only blood etc remains)
  • It has been filleted (i.e. commercially available meat)
  • When an animal is not well-developed enough to identify to species and there is no possibility for it will develop into an adult with identifiable characters

Recent projects

We are involved in projects such as:

  • Identification of seized shark fins to the species they were taken from using DNA.
  • Identification of animal materials/parts seized by Australian Customs or Australian Quarantine to determine if they are from protected species.
  • Identify bird and mammal species involved in Aircraft Birdstrike/Wildlife Strike for airports or airlines.
  • DNA Gender testing of protected bird species for zoo's and wildlife groups
  • Population genetics of threatened wildlife species (for example the White Fronted Chat).
  • Investigating molecular systematics of threatened species (for example the Christmas Island Shrew)  

More information

We conduct these analyses on a commercial basis, for additional information please contact us

here is a link to a Cosmos magazine blog on 'CSI wildlife work' published in April 2012

Check out this recent story on shark fin forensics here from ABC TV's Catalyst

and a previous story on wildlife forensics of smuggled bird eggs
 

Wildlife trafficking is a crime in Australia and there is both state and federal legislation to protect animals against this and to deter offenders.

For example:

  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild fauna and flora (CITES)
  • Customs Act (Cth 1901)
  • Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (Cth 1999)
  • Fisheries Management Act (NSW 1994)
  • Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (NSW 1979)
  • Quarantine Act (Cth 1908)

 


Dr Rebecca Johnson , Head of Research (Acting)
Last Updated:

Tags wildlife forensics, wild life forensics, DNA, wild-life forensics, animal genetics, birdstrike, bird strike, conservation genetics, wildlife crime,