by Martha Tancock
Communications

Wildlife poachers beware! DNA fingerprinting is not limited to nabbing human criminals. Technicians like Paul Wilson in Trent's new wildlife forensic laboratory can tell conservation officers whether a deer killed illegally was the same one buried in someone's freezer or carted away in a certain pickup truck. He can also blow an unscrupulous butcher's bluff by genetically identifying moose or deer meat mixed with beef or pork in sausages.

      Wildlife forensics work on >=exactly the same principle as human forensics," says Wilson. But the impact could be different. >=I've always felt that what we do has a very different impact than doing DNA testing for crimes against humans. In a lot of cases I don't think DNA technology will deter criminals in human investigations whereas a potential poacher who knows the technology exists may think twice. Our bigger goal is to use wildlife forensics as a deterrent."

      Poaching of moose, deer and bear provides Wilson with most of his forensic work -- matching the victim's blood or tissue to that found on the killer. But he also helps set the record straight on other illegal activities involving animals. He might be asked to check the paternity of peregrine falcon chicks bred in a captive breeding program to make sure the breeder hasn't introduced wild eggs or chicks into his breeding stock.

      The wildlife forensic lab is located in the basement of the Science Complex. Constructed and supported with funds from the Ministry of Natural Resources, its main client, the lab is a non-profit venture overseen by geneticist Bradley White, who has set up similar labs at Queen's and McMaster universities. Wilson, who had worked for White in the McMaster lab for eight years, relocated to Trent. Here he can combine forensic investigations with research and do it in a self-contained space.

      Wildlife forensic investigations serve a dual purpose. They provide valuable data about the genetic fitness of moose and deer populations, says Wilson. That's information he and conservation biologists are keen to know as they pursue collaborative research projects.

      Wilson and biologists at other universities are also working together on purely wildlife conservation research. He is currently analyzing fresh blood samples from wolves and teeth of 30- to 40-year wolf skulls saved during past rabies investigations. >=This is very valuable because we can compare past and present genetic structures. We want to see if there has been an increase in hybridization with the coyote."

      Another recent project? The lab has been contracted to conduct a genetic survey of seal-penis samples to find out which "species are involved in the trade" of these body parts, says Wilson.