MEDIA RELEASE
1 February 2011

Forensics experts converge to combat illegal wildlife trade

Scientists, vets and government enforcement officers come together at Auckland Zoo this week (1 – 4 February) to participate in Australasia’s first ever combined Wildlife Forensics workshop and symposium.

Internationally, the illegal wildlife trade comes close to rivalling the illegal arms and drugs trade and, in New Zealand, poses serious risks to our unique native wildlife. Frontline New Zealand Customs and MAF officers deal with individuals smuggling everything from reptiles to traditional Asian medicines containing animal parts from CITES listed species such as bears, tigers, pangolin, and marine life.

“Every year, hundreds of thousands of animals are being killed for this trade, which is having a devastating impact on wildlife populations around the world, and on our ability to conserve species,” says the Zoo’s New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine (NZCCM) senior vet, Dr Richard Jakob-Hoff.

“This four-day workshop and symposium at the NZCCM, organised with our colleagues from EcoGene Landcare Research and New Zealand’s Wildlife Enforcement Group (WEG) incorporating New Zealand Customs, MAF and DOC, is a great opportunity to pool both Kiwi and Aussie expertise. It’s also going to enable us all to further our forensics and CSI skills. For us as wildlife vets, it will help in the work we do with native wildlife for DOC,” says Dr Jakob-Hoff.

The practical workshop (1 – 2 February) will see 19 New Zealand and Australian participants issued with a CSI kit, and given hands-on training by U.K. based forensics experts, John and Margaret Cooper. Sessions will cover everything from forensic post-mortem techniques to laboratory examination of samples from live and dead animals, to recreating wildlife crime scene recording and preparing to give evidence in court.

The symposium (3 – 4 February), which has attracted over 30 participants, will feature talks by both local and international experts. Included among the line-up will be renowned Washington-based statistical genetics expert, Professor Bruce Weir, and EcoGene Landcare Research director, Dr Dianne Gleeson. Dr Gleeson is pioneering work in DNA techniques that are enabling individual dogs (and other carnivores) predating kiwi to be identified from their saliva.

“This is very useful in locations that are now predator-free or islands where particular species are thought not to be present, as you can therefore identify a new incursion or invasion. As more kiwi are being reintroduced to the mainland, there’s more opportunity for domestic dogs to be in contact with kiwi. We’re now using the fact we can profile individuals through DNA as an incentive for responsible dog ownership in these areas, and encouraging enrolment in kiwi aversion training offered by DOC. If someone’s dog is found responsible for the death of kiwi, they can be prosecuted under the Wildlife Act,” says Dr Gleeson.

Symposium speaker and senior investigator in the Wildlife Enforcement Group (WEG) based in Auckland, Stuart Williamson, says New Zealand is continuing to improve its detection methods, and works closely with a range of national and international organisations, including EcoGene at Landcare Research.

“But in addition to these organisations and specialists, everyone in New Zealand can actually help us to combat the illegal wildlife trade, and protect our unique native wildlife and plants. Especially in national parks and reserves – if you do see people removing wildlife, contact your local DOC office. Gaining accurate descriptions of people and things like car registration numbers can be invaluable to helping us in identifying and prosecuting,” says Mr Williams.

ENDS

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