Whether for monitoring endangered species or detecting wildlife crime: DNA samples can be an important tool out in the field. The participation of our Vice President Ilan Yeger at the conference ‘Natural Traces and Forensic Sciences’ in Prague made the audience realise how valuable the cooperation with rangers as practical users is.
We spoke to Dr Daniel Vanĕk, organiser of the conference and Czech non-human DNA scientist, and Alexander Griberman, managing director of Seratec, a German company specialised in human DNA forensics and active in prototyping tools for detecting and specifying animal DNA. Read about the importance of collaboration between science, business and practitioners in this field and why the experience of rangers is so important in developing products to combat wildlife crime and to effectively protect endangered species.
What was the conference about and what is the link between its topics and rangers?
Daniel: My lab is hosting PhD students from the EU Marie Curie Horizon project. Therefore, I organised the conference to provide a platform for topics close to their fields studies. All the students in the project are working on the analysis of non-human DNA, with a focus on animals and plants, and I was going to put together a programme of technical talks on this. But when Alexander suggested inviting rangers to show the audience the clients of our science, it turned out to be the best start for the conference. Ilan delivered a great message to show that it’s not just about our work in the lab, but that the combination of our science and its application in the field by rangers researching wildlife crime or rare species also delivers something important for society.
Animal DNA identification is a good area to explore and provide answers to questions that clients like rangers are asking. It’s an excellent idea to bring science into the field.
Dr Daniel Vanek, non-human DNA Scientist
Also, my company, Forensic DNA Services, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. So the conference was a summary of our research activities. Over the years, we’ve changed the subject from old bones to animal DNA identification. It’s a good field to explore and provide answers to questions that clients like the ranger community are asking.
Alexander: With our company, my co-chairman and I have been active for many years in the field of human forensics, the detection and characterisation of forensically relevant body fluids. We manufacture products with which these fluids can be detected directly at the crime scene or in the laboratory, usually with the help of rapid tests. Rapid tests basically mean that you put the sample on the test and the result can be read within a few minutes.
While working with Daniel and his lab, a whole new world opened up for us, especially in animal forensics. We realised that this area had not yet been properly researched compared to human forensics. Research and, above all, funding are generally very limited. By lucky coincidence, I attended an event organised by the Zoological Society of London where I met Adam from the European Ranger Federation in January. At that time we had already been working on products for on-site detection and characterisation of animal samples. Adam felt that this could easily be used by rangers in the field.
This is exactly our idea: to have products that can be used in resource-limited environments, e.g. by a ranger on patrol when the lab is a day or two away. So I suggested inviting a ranger to the conference. This was perfect: it was so eye opening to see the practical relevance and the different application scenarios shown by Ilan, who has been working hands-on with non-human DNA detection for so many years.
What concrete applications did the conference focus on?
Alexander: It all starts with effective sample collection and preservation. For example, at a crime scene in the wild with difficult climatic conditions, you need easy-to-use and affordable tools to ensure that your sample is preserved and protected until it is analysed. Ideally through a liquid into which you put the sample and close the lid. This is one possible application that we want to actively test with the rangers. Another application would be rapid testing. For example, to see on site whether animal tracks belong to a certain endangered species.
Daniel: Another new, emerging field of research presented at the conference is air forensics. This is a completely non-invasive method of extracting DNA material that can be used to identify humans, but also to monitor the presence of certain animals as part of environmental studies, not just for forensics. But again, we need to protect the sample after collection. The better the sample is at the beginning of the identification process, the greater the chances of getting a good result at the end. So what Alexander was talking about really changes the game. Because in the end, you know that your evidence is safe, even in court.
Do you regularly work with practitioners such as rangers?
Daniel: Yes, we are in daily contact with the Czech environmental supervisory authority. For example, when the guys from customs check the luggage at the airport, they send me a picture to ask whether a particular find is suitable for testing or not. They, too, would be happy to have a field test to check the presence of, let’s say, a tiger on the spot and seize it or not. It’s an excellent idea to bring science into the field.
We need people from the field collaborating in the recognition of endangered species. It is much easier to translate direct feedback from practitioners as rangers into a product.
Alexander Griberman, managing director of Seratec, Germany
Alexander: We have already started some collaborations to recognise endangered species, including with Daniel and his lab. But we need people from the field. They can tell us from their many years of experience which prototypes look good, which need to be improved and what we need to consider in certain regions. It is much easier for us to translate the requirements into a product if we have this direct feedback from practitioners, for example rangers. In animal forensics, we deal with difficult samples that are processed and decomposed, that contain components of animal tissue, muscles, bones in the form of powders or gels – all kinds of illegal substances that are smuggled. Again, we need practitioners to develop a rapid test that provides immediate results to determine further action.
What are your personal outcomes of the conference?
Daniel: The aim of having students, rangers, customs staff, environmental inspectors, police laboratories, vets, and even taxidermists exchanging ideas has been successful. I also promote multidisciplinary studies with several participants, and I hope that we will start something that will last for years. Next year’s conference will once again be held at the Police Museum. The director even told me that he is planning a special exhibition on wildlife crime and that our conference will be the launch for this.
Alexander: It was a great learning experience with many practitioners and academics, also from new fields such as air forensics. And I have received invaluable feedback from rangers about the applicability to non-human forensics of techniques we have for human forensics. We are confident that we can develop tools that can benefit the ranger community and other practitioners.
Header photo: Ranger in Valencia ©APAMCV
See the conference’s programme here:
YOU ARE INTERESTED IN COLLABORATION?
Please don’t hesitate to contact Dr Daniel Vanĕk or Alexander Griberman via these addresses:
Daniel Vanĕk, Forensic DNA Service, www.FDNAS.cz, e-mail: daniel.vanek@fdnas.cz
Alexander Griberman, SERATEC GmbH, www.seratec.com, e-mail: contact@seratec.com
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