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Significance Of Wildlife Forensics and Endangered Species of Plants, Animals and Reptiles
Wildlife forensics is the application of a range of scientific disciplines to legal cases involving non-human biological evidence. These disciplines include genetics, morphology, chemistry, pathology, and veterinary sciences. Significance of Wildlife Forensics: Food: e.g., caviar from Caspian Sea sturgeon, freshwater and marine turtles; Pets: many species of exotic amphibians, reptiles and birds; Testing to distinguish extant elephant and mammoth ivory products Species identification of cetaceans (dolphin/whale) illegally killed Species determination of birds from eggs Timber: rainforest hardwood trees such as mahogany and teak; Analysis of ivory roulette balls to establish whether they are made of ivory Testing traditional medicine: e.g., rhinoceros horns, bear gallbladders, and various plants in TAM(Traditional Asian Medicine). Animal furs and skins: e.g., the trade in crocodile and alligator skins; and products sold as souvenirs such as figurines made from illegal ivory or marine turtle shells, or jewellery made of coral.

Wildlife forensics also has a role in the following: -Species identification Detailed species identification techniques have been established for the following: -Whales and dolphins -Commercial kangaroo meat industry -Identification of bird species for -Snakes/Lizard -Pigs -Camels -Possums -Illegal seizure work with CALM/AQIS/Customs etc -Identification of birdstrike species (birds colliding with aeroplanes) The approach is possible because animals (and plants) inherit the traits determined by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from the maternal line. These characteristics, therefore, do
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not in principle differ between mother and offspring and are used (because there is no recombination of the DNA during sexual segregation), among other things, to determine genetic relations between species. -Population identification To computate the number of animals of a particular species by methods such as pugmark analysis. Like fingerprints the pug marks also are unique to each and every animal belonging to the same species -Identification of mixed animal tissue In cases of poaching and trafficking the original animal tissues and other material is often mixed with the flesh of animals which are permitted and is later separated after the smuggling is done. -Sex identification Difficulty with sex identification is a frequently encountered problem in various fields of forensics, animal biology and medicine because conventional methods require special skill for sample preparation and identification (e.g decomposition, sexes are monomorphic, no physical evidence or cytological investigation). Recent advances of DNA analysing techniques has considerably hastened up the procedure. A rapid and straightforward method of sex identification from the DNA in a trace amount of saliva and from bird feathers using PCR is possible. Preparation of DNA using chelex based extraction requires only a short time. To identify particular alleles, samples must be run on high resolution gels along with an "allelic ladder" containing a range of the known alleles of known size. Minute amounts of cells (feather end etc) are collected by centrifugation and heated in a buffered solution containing beads of the resin Chelex. Lysis of the cells and release of DNA is accomplished by a boiling water bath and the alkalinity of the Chelex suspension. PCR is then performed with the DNA-containing supernatant. Endangered species of Plants, Animals and Reptiles What are Endangered species? An endangered species is a native species that faces a significant risk of extinction in the near future throughout all or a significant portion of its range. Such species may be declining in number due to threats such as habitat destruction, climate change, or pressure from invasive species. The term endangered species can be used either in general or legal context. When used in a general sense, the term describes a species that faces a risk of extinction but does not necessarily indicate that the species is protected under any law. When used in a legal context, the term refers specifically to a species that is listed on the US Endangered Species List and is defined legally as an animal or plant species in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

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CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Endangered species are protected by more than just the Wildlife Protection Act. Local laws, enforced by state governments and state Departments of Natural resources protect species in the country. Groups of species are protected by specific acts such as the Wildlife Protection Act. Many foreign countries have laws protecting their endangered species. Endangered species are protected on international levels as well. For example, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an agreement between150 countries worldwide. Endangered species are listed under one of two appendices of CITES .If a species is listed under Appendix I, the member countries have agreed not to trade (buy and sell) that species commercially. If a species is listed under Appendix II, the member countries have agreed to trade that species commercially only if it does not endanger the survival of the species. The following are some of the endangered species which are listed by CITES & WWF : Plants: 1.Baobob Tree (Adansonia gregorii) Native to equatorial Africa and India, and most famous for covering much of Madagascar, the distinctive baobob tree is increasingly threatened. This tree is leafless nine months of the year and stores water in its trunk much like a camel. People make homes in the base, and the tree also produces an edible fruit called the monkeyfruit. 2.Cork(Quercus suber) The cork is actually a type of oak. From this article on endangered forests: The odd and distinctive cork bark forest of the Mediterranean is a case where industry actually preserves this unique biome. In fact, the advent of the screw-top wine stopper is the cork bark forests greatest threat. Experts say we will lose cork forests in the next decade if the wine industry continues to turn to alternative corks. Cork oaks can be shorn, much like sheep, for many years with proper maintenance. Without market incentive, though, these forests may fall into disrepair or be cleared all together. 3.Rafflesia The rafflesia is a parasitic plant with a flesh-like bloom the size of an armchair and a stench thats unmissable if youre even remotely close. 4.Tacca Chantrieri The black bat flower, or tacca chantrieri, is exceptionally rare and quite beautiful. The flowers can reach over 12 in diameter and each bloom typically has many whiskers that can grow to two feet or more in length.

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5. Polygala irregularis Gujarat(rare)commonly known as Milkwort is an annual or perennial herb.Blooms during July and August.The plants are found at an altitude of 1000 meters.The flowers are found in blue ,near white ,pink and white in color.The plants are destroyed due to human habitation and land for agriculture. 6. Diospyros celibica Karnataka(threatened)Ebony tree -It is a flowering tree and considered highly by woodworkers as they are widely used for making high quality furniture.The trees can grow up to 20 metres height under favourable conditions..But in the past two centuries it has become a very scarce and hardly found in India. 7. Actinodaphne lawsonii Kerala(threatened)it belongs to lauraceae family .It is endemic and it is threatened by habitat loss.It is canopy or sub canopy trees found in high elevation evergreen forest between 1200 to 2400 meters.The leaves are aromatic and has medicinal use. 8. Acacia planifrons Tamilnadu (rare)(umbrella thorn)they grow as a shrub or a short tree.In tamil they are called kudai vel,the tree is used as a fuel and fodder for sheep and goats. When the tree is fully grown it appears as a spreaded umbrella. 9.Abutilon indicum Tamilnadu(rare)commonly known as indian mallow is a small shrub in Malvaceae family.it is used as medicinal plant and they occur in number of tropical and subtropical zones.The plant was much used in sidda medicine.The root,bark,flowers and leaves are all used for medicinal purposes.It is called thuthi in tamil athibalaa in Sanskrit. 10.Chlorophytum tuberosum Tamilnadu it is a endangered plantis also called musli.It is a flowering plant native to Africa and India.It has historical uses in Ayurveda commonly used for strength and vigour.The plant belongs to Liliaceae family.

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Animals:
The following are top 10 endangered species of Animals and reptiles as listed by World Wildlife Fund(WWF) Sr No Common Name 1 Amur Leopard 2 Black Rhino Cross River 3 Gorilla 4 Hawksbill Turtle 5 Javan Rhino Leatherback 6 Turtle 7 Mountain Gorilla 8 Saola South China 9 Tiger Sumatran 10 Elephant Scientific Name Panthera pardus orientalis Diceros bicornis Gorilla gorilla diehli Eretmochelys imbricata Rhinoceros sondaicus Dermochelys coriacea Gorilla beringei beringei Pseudoryx nghetinhensis Panthera tigris amoyensis Elephas maximus sumatranus Status Critically Endangered Critically Endangered Critically Endangered Critically Endangered Critically Endangered Critically Endangered Critically Endangered Critically Endangered Critically Endangered Critically Endangered

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References: http://www.wildlifeforensics.com.au/background_info.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_forensic_science
https://worldwildlife.org/species/directory?direction=desc&sort=extinction_status http://webecoist.momtastic.com/2008/11/03/strange-rare-bizarre-endangered-flowers-plantsand-trees/

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