There was a time when the killing of endangered animals was fairly easy to cover. Elephants were slaughtered in great numbers for their tusks, bears for their gallbladders, and, of course, tigers and other large cats for their fur. These “byproducts of death” entered the market, the poachers returned to the hunt, never having to look over their shoulders, and life–or is it death?–went on.
Enter the US Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon. This one-of-a-kind facility utilizes state-of-the-art forensic science techniques to determine the origin of any animal product. In many cases, this will lead investigators to the animal’s place of origin and then to the poachers themselves. Couldn’t happen to a nicer group.
Mary Hooker
February 3, 2013 at 9:45 am
Thanks, wonderful news.
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amyshojai
February 3, 2013 at 12:54 pm
Excellent!
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Brenda
February 3, 2013 at 2:55 pm
I am SOOOO glad to hear that they will be able to track these horrible “people” (poachers) down!!!!!! Thanks for this!
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Cheryl B. Dale
February 3, 2013 at 5:21 pm
Way to go, science!
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Dianna Morris
February 4, 2013 at 5:49 pm
China is becoming a larger importer of exotic animal parts than the US. Wouldn’t it be nice if they felt compelled to pirate and use this technology as well?
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Terry Odell
February 5, 2013 at 6:52 am
Yay! Something I already knew (Hubster being a biologist and all, working with marine mammals and the like).
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