Pioneer identification of fake tiger claws using morphometric and DNA-based analysis in wildlife forensics in India

Unveiling a novel morphometric approach in claws and canines for species discrimination and age stratification in leopard (Panthera pardus fusca)

Eurybiomic big cats are facing significant threats from poaching, which is driven by recreation, taxidermy and wildlife trade. Species identification and age estimation are important for effective conservation management and enforcement of wildlife protection regulations. In this study, we present novel comprehensive morphometric methods for species identification and age estimation in leopards (Panthera pardus fusca) using canine and claw, the major trade articles. The study included 42 canines and 135 claw samples from five known age groups collected during post-mortem examination from all over the state of Tamil Nadu in south India. The samples were visually examined, and key morphological traits were accurately examined. Radiographic assessment of canines revealed the chronological age estimation, and tooth wear observation afforded supportive insight and evidence for the standards. Micro-feature observations of canine and claw samples using a scanning electron microscope ascertained the credibility of the samples. Multi-dimensional assessment of species and age of the samples by morphometric method led to the development of a reliable and accessible tool for dealing with confiscated specimens or samples with limited DNA quality. Notably, our novel methodology demonstrates efficacy in identifying illegally traded leopard canines and claws without causing any damage to the sample, thereby fortifying legal efforts against wildlife trafficking. In conclusion, this research introduces a sophisticated framework for species discrimination and age stratification in Panthera pardus fusca, merging cutting-edge technologies with classical morphometric analyses. The derived insights not only advance our understanding of leopard ecology but also furnish critical tools for conservationists and law enforcement agencies combating the illicit wildlife trade.

Discrimination of mongoose hair from domestic cattle hair, human hair, and synthetic fiber using FTIR spectroscopy and chemometric analysis: a rapid, cost-effective, and field-deployable tool for wildlife forensics

Mongoose hair is used to prepare fine brushes, which increases the demand for mongooses to be poached from the wild and brutally bludgeoned to death. Mongooses were listed as Schedule I species under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. Species identification of wildlife case-related samples is necessary to convict a person under this legislation. Microscopy and DNA-based techniques are commonly used to identify mongoose hair in seized brushes. However, in painting brushes, the roots, and the lower part of the hair are mostly trimmed, and only the upper part is used to make the brushes. In addition, brushes are often prepared with mixed hair from mongoose, domestic cattle, human hair, and synthetic fibre. Therefore, the identification of mongoose hair by microscopy and DNA-based techniques is restricted due to the lack of complete strands of hair and the absence of hair roots. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop an alternative methodology for the identification of mongoose hair from seized articles. FTIR spectroscopy for forensic analysis has gained significant attention over the years because of its sensitivity, specificity, and non-destructive nature. The present study aimed to discriminate Indian grey mongoose (Herpestes edwardsii) hair from domestic cattle hair (domestic water buffalo and domestic cow), human hair, and synthetic fiber based on their chemical composition using FTIR spectroscopy and chemometric analysis. We have taken hair from four individuals for each species, namely Indian grey mongoose, domestic cattle, human hair, and synthetic fibre. The FTIR spectrum was recorded, and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used to discriminate hair and synthetic fiber. The established PLS-DA model showed an R-square value and an RMSE (root mean square error) value of 0.9 and 0.13 respectively. Our preliminary findings have shown that FTIR spectroscopy combined with chemometrics can quickly discriminate Indian grey mongoose hair, domestic cattle hair, human hair, and synthetic fiber, providing crucial evidence for judicial proceedings.

Animal family discrimination from hair using ATR-FTIR and machine learning methods for applications in illegal wildlife trafficking

Wildlife forensics plays a pivotal role in the combating illegal trafficking, supporting biodiversity conservation, and aiding in the identification of animals in wildlife. Animal hair, often found in trafficking crimes, serves as vital biological evidence that can provide significant information for animal identification. This study proposes a novel method integrating machine learning classifiers with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance (ATR) mode to enhance the effectiveness of animal identification in wildlife forensic casework. Additionally, compound microscopy has also been utilized as a preliminary tool to perform morphological analysis of hair samples from four animal families, including Bovidae, Cervidae, Elephantidae, and Felidae. Further, chemical profiling through spectral data revealed significant overlapping peaks between family Bovidae and Cervidae. The classification experiment provides the random forest (RF) classifier as the most effective for family discrimination model. This research offers valuable insights for wildlife forensics by improving the identification accuracy of unknown hair samples, thus enhancing the overall effectiveness in forensic investigations.

The tide of tiger poaching in India is rising! An investigation of the intertwined facts with a focus on conservation

Poaching and illegal trafficking are major threats to biodiversity, especially when endangered felids are concerned. Tigers are iconic animals, and there is huge demand for their body parts both in the national and international illegal markets. India forms the largest tiger conservation unit in the world and poaching is at its peak even though there are stringent laws and strict enforcement. In the present study, we analytically estimated the tiger seizure cases in India from 2001-2021 using newspaper archives as the main source of data. The data was geo-referenced to understand the details of seizure, demand, and locality. We statistically correlated the seizure rate with the density of tigers, tiger reserves, and various other socio-economic factors. Our result shows that skin, claws, bones, and teeth have more demand, with nails and teeth being the most preferred in local markets. The bones, flesh, and other parts were mostly seized in the border states of the north and eastern states. The intensity of seizures is very high in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Assam. From our analysis, we predict four trade routes for the export of the seized parts: the Nepal-Bhutan border, Assam border, the Brahmaputra, and the Mumbai port. This corresponds to the five tiger conservation blocks in India, and we observed the seizure rate is high near the Western Ghats region, which has not yet been noticed. Apart from the seizure, we are unconcerned with the seizure's origin or the local trading routes. The study demonstrates the importance of identifying the source population using DNA methods and carefully enforcing the rules in area of poaching. We assert that current approaches are incapable of resolving the issue and that a more precise and effective forensic procedure capable of resolving the issue at the minute local level is critical for precisely tracing trade channels.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10708-022-10633-4.

Unraveling the mystery of confiscated "jackal horns" in India using wildlife forensic tools

Internationally, illegal wildlife trade involves highly prized and charismatic species and their derivatives. At the same time, common or less known species and their parts are also encountered but receive less attention than charismatic species. Given the increasing demand for wildlife products in many parts of the world, profit, and short supply, many fake articles derived from domestic or wild animals are frequently encountered in the wildlife trade. Jackal horn (locally known as "Siyar or Gidar singhi") is one such fake item widely used in sorcery and other occult practices available through offline and online trading platforms within India. We used a combination of morphological, microscopic hair, and molecular approaches (Cyt b and 16 s rRNA genes) to reveal the true identity of confiscated "jackal horns" (n = 342). Detailed morphological study of the jackal horns showed that it varied in size, shape, color of hair, attachment material, and filling material. The microscopic hair and molecular approaches revealed that all the items sold as jackal horns were fake and made up of protected wild species and domestic animals. Our results confirm the use of the biological samples from few wild species protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, of India. Therefore, the law enforcement agencies are cautioned to get forensic opinions while dealing with such counterfeit items.

Simple Nested Allele-Specific approach with penultimate mismatch for precise species and sex identification of tiger and leopard

Accurate species and sex identification of non-invasive and forensic samples of the tiger and leopard is still confusing when using the allele-specific methods. We designed allele-specific methods with penultimate nucleotide mismatch in a nested manner for the exact identification and double-checking of forensic samples. The mismatch design is a novel concept in species and sex identification, making the allele-specific targeting precise. We developed three sets of markers, a 365 bp outer and a 98 bp inner marker for nested tiger species identification assay, 136 bp leopard specific marker, and carnivore sex identification markers. We validated the method with tissue/blood forensic samples of various felids and herbivorous available in our lab and on known fecal samples from Vandalur Zoo. We also collected 37 scat samples at diverse stages of deterioration from the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India. The 365 bp targeted markers resulted in 70.2% (n = 22; 22/37) amplification success, while the 98 bp FAM-labelled marker amplified 89% (n = 33; 33/37) scat samples independently. The 136 bp leopard markers answered four scat samples (11%) unrequited by the tiger specific markers. We evaluated species and the sex identification with these markers in another 190 non-invasive samples provided by the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve authorities. Among which 56.3% (n = 107) of samples were recognized as tiger (64 male and 43 female) and 38.9% (n = 74) as leopard (41 male and 33 female). The method supersedes any other previous methods in this regard by its high accuracy and simplicity.