Wildlife forensic regional capacity building efforts

Wildlife crime is a serious transnational threat to biodiversity in South Asia. Driven by organized criminal syndicates who control the burgeoning and highly lucrative illicit trade, it is impossible forany one country to tackle thecrime alone. A well-coordinated and collaborative response isneeded to address this crime.

The use of forensic tools plays an important role in strengthening law enforcement efforts toaddress wildlife crime and biodiversity conservation. It has already been successfully used in many countries around the world to improve investigation of wildlife cases, identification of poaching hotspots and trafficking routes as well as prosecution of wildlife criminals by connecting individuals to crime scenes.

Currently in South Asian countries the capacityto use forensic tools for wildlife crime is variedand limited. With increasing wildlife crime incidences, it is important to develop nationaland regional capabilities and collaboration.CMDN is working closely with INTERPOL andother regional stakeholders to standardize the development and use of wildlife forensics across South Asia and use it as a tool to strengthen law enforcement responses to wildlife crime.