Wildlife Forensics 2 Flashcards
How many parties are in CITES?
181
What is the main aim of CITES?
To ensure trade does not threaten survival
Why is international cooperation needed?
Trade crosses borders
What is listed in appendix I?
Most endangered species. Trade prohibited except for research
What is listed in appendix II?
Species which may soon become endangered
What is listed in appendix III
Species listed at the request of a party that already regulates it and needs cooperation.
Who are the biggest exporters of wild animals?
Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, China
Who are the biggest importers for the pet trade?
EU and Japan
What permits are required for appendix I species?
Export and import
What permits are required for appendix II?
Export only
What permits are required for appendix III?
Export, but only in the country that listed it.
When was Cecil the lion shot?
July 2015
How was Cecil the lion killed?
Crossbow or bow and arrow followed by a firearm.
Why was Walter Palmer not charged with killing Cecil?
He had obtained the correct legal documents.
Why did the killing of Cecil the lion attract so much media attention?
He had been enticed out of the reserve and was being monitored by Oxford university as part of a stutter into lion conservation.
Where is the hub of international wildlife trade?
Southeast Asia
Why has bird trade declined in Southeast Asia?
Outbreaks of avian flu
How many sea horses were exported from Southeast Asia 1998-2007?
16 million
How many reptiles were exported from Southeast Asia 1998-2007?
17 million
What other crimes is wildlife crime often linked to?
Drug trafficking and gun running
Why is wildlife trafficking appealing?
Small items are easy to smuggle and can get a high price. Penalties are low compared to other crimes.
What is the impact of losing keystone species?
They are essential to the ecosystem, domino effect as other species are lost.
What does the forensic analysis fund do?
Offers funding to police and customs officers to carry out analysis during investigations.
What factors contribute to wildlife crime?
Tradition, pet trade, organised crime, governments, Internet, poverty, population growth.
What is the biggest culprit in tradition to wildlife crime?
Chinese traditional medicine.
Why is the pet trade so popular?
As people become more affluent, they express themselves through possessions.
How many poison arrow frogs were traded 2004-2008?
63,000
When was CITES founded?
1st July 1975
What problems are associated with identification based on DNA?
Short DNA sequences Low amounts of DNA Contamination PCR inhibitors Chemical modifications Numts
What are numts?
mtDNA translocated to nuclear DNA
What does X-ray diffraction do?
Measure the scatter of an X-ray beam after it hits a sample.
What genetic markers are common for ID?
Cytochrome b
D-loop
16S RNA
NADH
What do scats provide evidence of?
Health, food consumed and DNA
What is keratin resistant to?
Decay
What is microdissection of hair used for?
Separating useful cells from the rest of the hair (keratin inhibits PCR)
What is a palynomorph?
A microscopic particle of pollen, spores or soil
What can be used to reveal horse doping?
GC-MS
Give 3 examples of macroscopic features of feathers
Size, shape, colour
What DNA regions are used for species ID in feathers?
CO1, cytochrome b, 12SRNA
When were feathers most fashionable?
Late 1800s, early 1900s
What bird feathers are illegally traded in USA and Canada for native Indian ceremonies?
Eagle
What magnetic fluorescent powders work best in feathers?
Red and green
What powders work best on eggs?
Black
What are antlers covered in whilst they are growing?
Vascularised velvet.
What medicinal value are antlers said to have?
Anti-ageing properties and they stimulate male sexual activity
Why is it often difficult to ID antlers visually?
Usually sold in slices
What fuelled demand for handles on jambiyas in Yemen in 1970s and 80s?
Rising Prosperity
Where is the main market for Rhino horn?
Vietnam and China for traditional medicine.
Where does most mammoth Ivory come from?
Siberia
What has allowed elephant populations in parts of Africa to begin to recover?
1990 global ban on elephant ivory.
What country has one of the largest markets for Ivory?
USA
What can be used to distinguish elephant and mammoth Ivory?
Schreger lines and colouration. Mammoth Ivory tends to be brownish or blue-green
How old must Ivory be to be classed as antique and therefore legal?
Pre 1st June 1947
What is long wave ultra violet radiation?
A non-destructive method to identify Ivory. The material is exposed to LWUV against a black background and Ivory fluoresce bluish white
What is Raman spectroscopy?
A form of Ivory identification that involves measuring wavelengths of light reflected from an object.
What can be used to age Ivory?
Radioisotopes
Apart from wounds, how else can arrows and spears in Africa harm animals?
They can be laced with poison from acocanthera shrubs
Why is there an international market for bushmeat?
People move but retain desire for it. Status symbol
What is a zoonotic disease?
A disease that can be passed between animals and humans
What have several Ebola outbreaks been linked to?
Butchering and consumption of chimpanzees
What is the most common zoonotic infection?
Food poisoning
Why is it often difficult to ID species of bushmeat?
Rarely enough morphological evidence and often processed by the time of seizure so little DNA present.
What species of bear is primarily used for their bile?
The asiatic black bear
What is bear bile used treat?
Fevers, inflammation, pain, epilepsy etc.
How much is a 1kg bear gallbladder worth today?
$50,000+
What led to the creation of bear farms in the 1980s?
The decline in populations
Where are bear farms found?
China, Korea, Vietnam
How much bile can a single farm bear produce?
The equivalent of 220 wild bears.
How is bear bile extracted?
A latex or steel catheter is inserted directly into the gallbladder to drain, or it may be syringed.
What led to bear bile being used as a novelty in shampoo and tea?
Bile supply exceeds demand.
What is being done to save bears being farmed?
Shutting down bear farms, research into alternative medicines and licences no longer issued for farms.
What can be used to ID bear bile in the lab?
High performance liquid chromatography for albumin.
What percentage of wildlife deaths in France did poisoning account for 1986-1998?
6.5%
What is accidental poisoning usually caused by?
Environmental contaminants such as lead, mercury and agricultural chemicals
When may accidental poisoning be suspected?
If many non-pest species are found in one area.
When is deliberate poisoning suspected?
If a few individuals of a single pest species are found dead in one area.
How are animals deliberately poisoned?
Poison placed inside food
What is secondary poisoning?
A scavenger eats an animal that died of poisoning.
Why are birds of prey poisoned?
Seen as a threat to livestock
Who records wildlife poisoning in the UK?
DEFRA
Which wildlife is most affected by lead poisoning?
Water birds from lead fishing weights
Which rodenticides are most likely used in deliberate poisoning?
Anti-coagulants as they are available commercially.
What do anticoagulants cause in wildlife?
Internal haemorrhage
Which insecticides are legal in Europe?
Neonicotinoids and pyrethroids as need a massive dose for larger animals.
How do organochlorines cause deaths?
They are neurotoxic and block GABA receptors so increase neural excitation.
What do organophosphates inhibit?
Acetylcholinesterase so initially increase excitation until transmission stops.
What common cattle medicine leads to poisoning in vultures?
Diclofenac leads to kidney failure.
What temperature is used for denature get in PCR?
94*C
What temperature is used for annealing in PCR?
54*C
What temperature is used for extension in PCR?
72%
What are the old school methods of DNA analysis?
RAPD
RFLP
AFLP
What are the new school methods for DNA analysis?
Mitochondrial markers
Microsatellites
SNPs
How many base pairs are present in mitochondrial DNA?
Around 13,000
Why does mtDNA degrade less easily than nuclear DNA?
It has a protein coat
How many genes are in mtDNA?
37
Where are musk deer found?
Across most of mainland Asia and Eastern Russia
What is the protection status of musk deer?
All species are listed in the IUCN red list and appendix II of CITES
What is the greatest threat to musk deer?
Over hunting
When did most musk deer farms cease operating?
1980s
How much is an adult musk deer worth in China?
Around $2000
What is the approximate age of musk secretion?
3-14 years old
In what months is musk secreted?
May-July
Why is musk produced?
To mark territory and entice potential mates.
How is musk obtained?
Usually by removing musk pods after they are shot.
In farming, spatula inserted into musk sac and scraped into airtight container.
When is synthetic musk used?
In the perfume industry, harder to persuade traditional medicine practitioners.
What animal may be used as a substitute for musk deer in Taiwan?
Coypu. Native to South America and has been farmed in many countries for fur
When was synthetic musk first created?
1888
Why is musk oil used in small quantities?
It overwhelms the senses when undiluted
What is the problem with obtaining musky scents from plants?
It is not as strong or as long lasting as animal or chemical musk.
What are the medicinal benefits of musk oil?
It is a detoxification agent and can treat inflammation, swelling and pain
What country is a major supplier of musk?
Russia
Why is there so much demand for illegally traded musk?
Farming does not meet demand and it is difficult to extract in farmed animals.
How much was musk deer oil worth in 2009?
$45,000 per kg
What is the morphology of a deer musk pod?
Oval/circular and 3-6cm in diameter. Contains musk grains that are brownish and semi-liquid when fresh or dark powdery crystalline when dry.
Whole musk pod covered in hair.
Why is it difficult to identify deer musk in medicines?
Usually present in low levels and no morphological features present.
How does GC-MS work?
A sample is separated into its components as it travels along a separating column. The components are identified by a mass spectrometer. Gas is used to propel the sample along the column.
