Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa; email:
Annu Rev Anim Biosci. 2023 Feb 15;11:269-286. doi: 10.1146/annurev-animal-070722-084803.
Poaching and the international trade in wildlife are escalating problems driven by poverty and greed and coordinated by increasingly sophisticated criminal networks. Biodiversity loss, caused by habitat change, is exacerbated by poaching, and species globally are facing extinction. Forensic evidence underpins human and animal criminal investigations and is critical in criminal prosecution and conviction. The application of forensic tools, particularly forensic genetics, to animal case work continues to advance, providing the systems to confront the challenges of wildlife investigations. This article discusses some of these tools, their development, and implementations, as well as recent advances. Examples of cases are provided in which forensic evidence played a key role in obtaining convictions, thus laying the foundation for the future application of techniques to disrupt the criminal networks and safeguard biodiversity through species protection.
偷猎和野生动物的国际贸易是由贫困和贪婪驱动的日益严重的问题，并且受到日益复杂的犯罪网络的协调。生物多样性的丧失是由栖息地的变化引起的，偷猎使情况更加恶化，全球物种正面临灭绝。法医证据是人类和动物犯罪调查的基础，对于刑事起诉和定罪至关重要。法医工具的应用，特别是法医遗传学，在动物案件工作中的应用不断推进，为应对野生动物调查的挑战提供了系统。本文讨论了其中的一些工具、它们的发展和实施，以及最近的进展。提供了一些案例，其中法医证据在定罪方面发挥了关键作用，从而为未来应用技术破坏犯罪网络和通过物种保护保护生物多样性奠定了基础。
