Wildlife Forensic Science · Wildlife Forensic Science The Role of the National Fish and Wildlife...
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10/19/2011 1 Wildlife Forensic Science The Role of the National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory in Wildlife Prosecutions Ken Goddard and Edgard Espinoza National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Lab., Ashland, OR Thursday Oct. 20, 2011 ~600 BC ~100 AD ~500 BC ~950 BC
Transcript of Wildlife Forensic Science · Wildlife Forensic Science The Role of the National Fish and Wildlife...
10/19/2011
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Wildlife Forensic Science
The Role of the National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory in
Wildlife Prosecutions
Ken Goddard and Edgard EspinozaNational Fish and Wildlife Forensic Lab., Ashland, OR
Thursday Oct. 20, 2011
~600 BC
~100 AD
~500 BC
~950 BC
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Raison d'êtreRaison d'être
Forensic LabEstablished in 1989
Accredited since 1995
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The F&W Forensic Lab:
Determine cause of death
Identify evidence Wildlife parts, bullets, latent prints, etc.
Link: Victim
Suspect
Crime Scene
Search digital evidence
Lab Organization
Dire
ctor
(K
en G
odda
rd)
Dep. Director (Ed Espinoza)
Morphology (Barry Baker)
Chemistry (Mark Kirms)
Digital Evidence (Brian Horne)
Pathology (Tabitha Viner)
Genetics (Mary Curtis)
Criminalistics (Ed Espinoza)
Admin Branch (Darrell Hegdahl)
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Scientific Disciplines at the Lab
Veterinary Pathology
Morphology
Genetics
Chemistry
Criminalistics
Digital Forensics
All Crime Labs:
Identify evidence
Link: Victim
Suspect
Crime Scene
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By country of origin
and characteristicsfound on the entire animal
The commonly occurring species-defining characteristics are typically not presenton wildlife parts and products seized as evidence
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Forensic analysis is not needed...
But wildlife officers typically seize wildlife parts and products
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All Crime Labs:
Identify evidence
Link: Victim
Suspect
Crime Scene
Also known as Individualization
At the crime scene there is a contact between(Locard’s Exchange Principle)
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Like All Crime Labs . . .
• Attempt to link
Crime Scene
Victim
Suspect
Wildlife Forensic Analysis:
Class Characteristics (~80%) ~4629 Mammal species
~9600 Bird species
~12000 Reptile and amphibian species
Individualization (~20%)
80%
20%
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Examples of Cause of Death Determinations
Veterinary Necropsy Protocol
Whole body x-rays, two views
Photograph evidence as received with identification numbers and scale
External examination, +/- alternative light source
Partially or completely skin carcass
Internal examination
Compose report of findings
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External Exam
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Radiographs
Ventral-dorsal (VD) view Lateral view
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Internal Exam Findings
Trace Evidence
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Examples of class character analysis
Shahtoosh Shawls (Tibetan antelope)
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Seal coat (n> 8)
Leopard rugs
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Colubus monkey (n=12) & Leopard (n=2)
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Bear gall bladders (n=>40)
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Elephant toe nails
Pesticide misapplication
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Pesticide misapplication
Inhumane transport
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Cardinal Duck
Oriole
Woodcock (n=>100)
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Golden Eagles
Bald Eagles
Bald Eagle
Golden Eagle
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Hornbill skulls (n=40)
Eagle Radius (n > 50 eagles)
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Amazonian native art
Vulture skulls
Bear claws
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Asian snakes (n>10)
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Slow loris
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Bush meat (duiker)
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Bush meat (fish and rodents on a stick)
Bush meat (crocodilian)
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Bush meat (cane rats and monkeys)
Bush meat (monkeys)
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Primate and pig skulls (n>25)
Caiman skins (n>60)
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Lorises (n>7)
Bush meat (Baby chimp)
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Bush meat (loris)
Smuggled baby macaque
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Examples of individualization
Cause of Death: Bullet Wound
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Bullet Matches Suspects Weapon
Comparison of an Expended Bullet against a Known test fire
expended bulletfrom crime scene
test-fired bullet from known weapon
Individualization using firearms tool marks
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Visualizing and Matching Latent Fingerprints
Individualization using latent prints
Individualization using Genomic DNA
Determination of individuality (i.e. crime scene sample and clothing stain are from the same individual)
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Carcass at Crime Scene
Tissue to Lab
To Lab
DNA
Results: Match
Head taken from Suspect
Current Individualization Capabilities
Black Bear
Brown Bear
Elk
White-tailed Deer
Mule Deer
Moose
Wolf
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Example of Digital Evidence
Raw Footage of Seized Video
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Video Enhancement for Grand Jury
OUTREACH:Over 7 million web hits in FY2011
0
1,000,000
2,000,000
3,000,000
4,000,000
5,000,000
6,000,000
7,000,000
8,000,000
FY 2008 FY2009 FY2010 FY2011
Feather Atlas
Lab Wide
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The End
541 482 4191
www.lab.fws.gov
