Publications by authors named "Lauren Woodcock"
Using fingermark powders and lifters on pangolin scales for anti-poaching measures.
Forensic Sci Int
January 2025
Wildlife forensics is a relatively underexplored field of science. It provides forensic evidence to support legal investigations involving wildlife crime, such as the trafficking and poaching of animals and/or their goods. The consequences of poaching are not just limited to a decline in animal welfare and include the spread of zoonotic disease, species, cultural and habitat loss, and injury of anti-poaching rangers.
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- Wildlife forensics focuses on providing evidence for legal cases involving wildlife crimes like poaching and trafficking, which can have severe ecological and societal consequences.
- Current forensic efforts primarily use DNA analysis, leaving fingermark analysis underutilized, despite being a cost-effective and deployable method for identifying wildlife crime perpetrators.
- There is a need for more extensive research on fingermark techniques applied to wildlife items, emphasizing the need for larger sample sizes and studies that reflect real environmental conditions to enhance their effectiveness in legal investigations.