Wildlife‐related crimes are the second most prevalent lawbreaking offense globally. This illicit trade encompasses hunting, breeding and trafficking. Besides diminishing many species and their ...habitats and ecosystems, hindering the economic development of local communities that depend on them, undermining the rule of law and financing terrorism, various cross‐species transmissions (zoonoses) of pathogens, including COVID‐19, can be attributed to wildlife crimes. Wildlife forensics applies interdisciplinary scientific analyses to support law enforcement in investigating wildlife crimes. Its main objectives are to identify the taxonomic species in question, determine if a crime has been committed, link a suspect to the crime and support the conviction and prosecution of the perpetrator. This article reviews wildlife crime and its implications, wildlife forensic science investigation, common forms of wildlife biological evidence, including DNA, wildlife DNA techniques and challenges in wildlife forensic genetics. The article also reviews the contributions of genetic markers such as short tandem repeat (STR) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers, which provide the probative genetic data representing the bulk of DNA evidence for solving wildlife crime. This review provides an overview of wildlife DNA databases, which are critical for searching and matching forensic DNA profiles and sequences and establishing how frequent forensic DNA profiles and sequences are in a particular population or geographic region. As such, this review will contain an in‐depth analysis of the current status of wildlife forensic genetics, and it will be of general interest to wildlife and conservation biologists, law enforcement officers, and academics interested in combating crimes against wildlife using animal forensic DNA methods.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
In the past decade, many researchers have published papers about hybridization between long‐tailed and rhesus macaques. These previous works have proposed unidirectional gene flow with the Isthmus of ...Kra as the zoogeographical barrier of hybridization. However, these reports analyzed specimens of unknown origin and/or did not include specimens from Thailand, the center of the proposed area of hybridization. Collected specimens of long‐tailed and rhesus macaques representing all suspected hybridization areas were examined. Blood samples from four populations each of long‐tailed and rhesus macaques inhabiting Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos were collected and analyzed with conspecific references from China (for rhesus macaques) and multiple countries from Sundaic regions (for long‐tailed macaques). Ninety‐six single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers specifically designed to interrogate admixture and ancestry were used in genotyping. We found genetic admixture maximized at the hybrid zone (15–20°N), as well as admixture signals of varying strength in both directions outside of the hybrid zone. These findings show that the Isthmus of Kra is not a barrier to gene flow from rhesus to long‐tailed populations. However, to precisely identify a southernmost barrier, if in fact a boundary rather than simple isolation by distance exists, the samples from peninsular Malaysia must be included in the analysis. Additionally, a long‐tailed to rhesus gene flow boundary was found between northern Thailand and Myanmar. Our results suggest that selection of long‐tailed and rhesus macaques, the two most commonly used non‐human primates for biomedical research, should take into account not only the species identification but also the origin of and genetic admixture within and between the species.
Hybridization between long‐tailed and rhesus macaques occurred beyond Isthmus of Kra.
Full text
Available for:
FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Most narcotics‐related cases in the United States involve Cannabis sativa. Material is typically identified based on the cystolithic hairs on the leaves and with chemical tests to identify of the ...presence of cannabinoids. Suspect seeds are germinated into a viable plant so that morphological and chemical tests can be conducted. Seed germination, however, causes undue analytical delays. DNA analyses that involve the chloroplast and nuclear genomes have been developed for identification of C. sativa materials, but they require several nanograms of template DNA. Using the trnL 3′ exon‐trnF intragenic spacer regions within the C. sativa chloroplast, we have developed a real‐time quantitative PCR assay that is capable of identifying picogram amounts of chloroplast DNA for species determination of suspected C. sativa material. This assay provides forensic science laboratories with a quick and reliable method to identify an unknown sample as C. sativa.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The cynomolgus macaque, Macaca fascicularis, was introduced onto the island of Mauritius in the early 17(th) century. The species experienced explosive population growth, and currently exists at high ...population densities. Anecdotes collected from nonhuman primate trappers on the island of Mauritius allege that animals from the northern portion of the island are larger in body size than and superior in condition to their conspecifics in the south. Although previous genetic studies have reported Mauritian cynomolgus macaques to be panmictic, the individuals included in these studies were either from the southern/central or an unknown portion of the island. In this study, we sampled individuals broadly throughout the entire island of Mauritius and used spatial principle component analysis to measure the fine-scale correlation between geographic and genetic distance in this population. A stronger correlation between geographic and genetic distance was found among animals in the north than in those in the southern and central portions of the island. We found no difference in body weight between the two groups, despite anecdotal evidence to the contrary. We hypothesize that the increased genetic structure among populations in the north is related to a reduction in dispersal distance brought about by human habitation and tourist infrastructure, but too recent to have produced true genetic differentiation.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
We used genotypes for 13 short tandem repeats (STRs) to assess the genetic diversity within and differentiation among populations of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) from mainland Asia and ...long-tailed macaques (M. fascicularis) from mainland and insular Southeast Asia. The subjects were either recently captured in the wild or derived from wild-caught founders maintained in captivity for biomedical research. A large number of alleles are shared between the 2 macaque species but a significant genetic division between them persists. The distinction is more clear-cut among populations that are not, or are unlikely to have recently been, geographically contiguous. Our results suggest there has been significant interspecific nuclear gene flow between rhesus macaques and long-tailed macaques on the mainland. Comparisons of mainland and island populations of long-tailed macaques reflect marked genetic subdivisions due to barriers to migration. Geographic isolation has restricted gene flow, allowing island populations to become subdivided and genetically differentiated. Indonesian long-tailed macaques show evidence of long-term separation and genetic isolation from the mainland populations, whereas long-tailed macaques from the Philippines and Mauritius both display evidence of founder effects and subsequent isolation, with the impact from genetic drift being more profound in the latter.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
To describe and assess the scientific and technical aspects of animal forensic testing at the University of California, Davis. The findings and recommendations contained in this report are designed ...to assess the past, evaluate the present, and recommend reforms that will assist the animal forensic science community in providing the best possible services that comply with court standards and bear judicial scrutiny.
A batch of 32 closed files of domestic dog DNA cases processed at the University of California, Davis, between August 2003 and July 2005 were reviewed in this study. The case files comprised copies of all original paperwork, copies of the cover letter or final report, laboratory notes, notes on analyses, submission forms, internal chains of custody, printed images and photocopies of evidence, as well as the administrative and technical reviews of those cases.
While the fundamental aspects of animal DNA testing may be reliable and acceptable, the scientific basis for forensic testing animal DNA needs to be improved substantially. In addition to a lack of standardized and validated genetic testing protocols, improvements are needed in a wide range of topics including quality assurance and quality control measures, sample handling, evidence testing, statistical analysis, and reporting.
This review implies that although a standardized panel of short tandem repeat and mitochondrial DNA markers and publicly accessible genetic databases for canine forensic DNA analysis are already available, the persistent lack of supporting resources, including standardized quality assurance and quality control programs, still plagues the animal forensic community. This report focuses on closed cases from the period 2003-2005, but extends its scope more widely to include other animal DNA forensic testing services.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background While rates of gene flow between rhesus and longtail macaque populations near their hybrid zone in Indochina have been quantified elsewhere, this study demonstrates that the inter‐specific ...introgression is not limited to the Indochinese hybrid zone but is more geographically widespread.
Methods Twelve rhesus and longtail macaque populations were analyzed using single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) loci.
Results There is evidence for inter‐specific admixture between Chinese rhesus and mainland longtails, with implications for genetic diversity both in the Chinese super‐SPF population at the California National Primate Research Center and in other primate facilities. Eastern Chinese rhesus appeared more highly derived than western Chinese rhesus, and allele sharing between longtails and Chinese rhesus was not random with regard to geographic distance, but no significant nuclear genetic differences between eastern and western Chinese rhesus were detected among the 245 genic SNPs assayed.
Conclusion The implications of this inter‐specific admixture for the use of Chinese rhesus and mainland longtail in biomedical research should be considered.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
PDF
