Wildlife DNA Analysis

“Speaking for those, who cannot speak for themselves”

Wildlife DNA forensics is an applied field of forensic DNA to cater to the need for investigative tools in wildlife law enforcement. State-of-the-art facility in the wildlife DNA division ensures the high standards of care, documentation and control necessary for the authenticity and integrity of evidence from collection to court presentation.

Division & Subject Head :
Shri Ashwin Gedam

Designation :
Deputy Director

Email :
[email protected]

Phone :

Key Areas of Wildlife Forensics

DNA Typing

Species identification of samples, gender determination in tiger and leopard cases.

Cases Received in Wildlife

Wildlife Poaching

Wildlife Trafficking

Wild animal attack on humans

Sample Received

Biological samples collected through Veterinary Officer/ Live Stock Development Officer

Bite site swabs

Instrumentation

Automated DNA extraction system

An automated instrument that purifies DNA from various biological samples, replacing manual processes to save time and minimize errors.

Automated DNA quantification system

Determines amount needed for downstream applications (PCR, Sequencing), helps in assessing quality DNA (pure or degraded), aids to validate experiment / extraction success.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) system

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) is an indispensable technique in DNA typing, used to amplify specific DNA fragments exponentially.

DNA sequencer

Genetic Analyzers are automated systems capable of sequencing DNA. It is used to determine the exact order of the four nucleotide bases—adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T)—in a DNA strand.

Legal Framework & Compliance

Quality Management

Defined and systematic actions to monitor the quality of analytical data or results. Stringent quality controls deliver court admissible reports helping in strengthening the criminal justice system.

FAQ's

What is wildlife DNA analysis?

Wildlife DNA analysis is a technique for identification of wildlife species from collected specimens using advanced technology.

Is wildlife DNA analysis similar to human DNA analysis?

The principles on which DNA analysis works are same, but wildlife DNA analysis has its distinct challenges. Whereas human DNA analysis has standardized commercial kits and large reference databases, wildlife DNA analysis sometimes requires to develop and validate their own tests for each species which is an arduous work.

Is there a specific law for the protection of wildlife in India?

Yes, the main law for wildlife protection in India is The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 which provides for the protection of wild animals, birds and plants and for matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto with a view to ensuring the ecological and environmental security of the country.

What are the types of samples submitted for Wildlife DNA analysis?

Blood, Tooth, Nails, Meat, Bones, Horns, Hide (skin), Claws, Whiskers, Whale vomit, Tusks, Feathers, Scales, Hoof, Visceral organs, Hatha Jodi (the monitor lizard's hemipenis), Shell (Turtle), Quills, Scat, Bite site swabs.

What are the techniques used in Wildlife DNA analysis?

Species identification of the samples is done using Mitochondrial DNA analysis, while gender determination in tiger and leopard cases is done using Nuclear DNA analysis.

How does a wildlife species be identified by DNA analysis?

The sequence of mitochondrial DNA generated by the laboratory is submitted to the BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) search tool developed and maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). BLAST identifies unknown species by comparing a sequence from the unknown species against a large database of known genetic sequences. The algorithm finds the best-matching or most similar sequences in the database, and based on the high degree of similarity, the species can be identified.

How does Wildlife DNA analysis help investigators?

Wildlife DNA analysis is mostly conducted to identify unknown wild species from parts or remains of animals that are generally unidentifiable from morphological characters. The analysis provides scientific evidence to combat wildlife crime, trace illegal products, and link suspects to crime, thus ensuring protection and welfare of wildlife and to warrant animal rights.