2016/12/30

METRO December 20, 2016: Look inside the world’s only forensic lab that investigates wildlife crimes
There’s a forensic laboratory dedicated solely to investigating crimes against wildlife.

The lab, which is based in Ashland in the US state of Oregon, was set up in 1988 by the US Fish & Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement (USFWS) to to scientifically analyse violations of federal wildlife protection laws.

Basically, it’s the CSI of the natural world.

Analysts pore over bullets, poisons and pesticides to try and get to the bottom of some of the country’s biggest wildlife crimes.

Scientists regularly have to investigate both animal carcasses (for cause-of-death analysis), as well as objects made from wildlife parts – such as fur coats, leather boots, feather headresses and ivory carvings, and meat and blood.

But they don’t always investigate grisly murders.

For example, earlier this month the lab had to warn goose hunters not to eat any birds they caught after thousands of migrating snow geese landed on the surface of Berkeley Pit, a former open pit copper mine in Butte, Montana.

The pit contains highly acidic water and high concentrations of metals. more