The World Bank, through the Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded Global Wildlife Program (GWP), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) held a virtual session to share best practices in wildlife forensics and explore ways to expand efforts in the field.

Several GWP projects from the GEF-6 and GEF-7 cycles have worked or have been working on strengthening wildlife forensics capacities in their countries to combat wildlife trafficking, while forthcoming GEF-8 projects are also planning to incorporate capacity building on crime scene investigations and forensics work into their activities.

Participants were given the opportunity to interact with experts in the field and discuss challenges, lessons learned, and successful adaptations. The event was attended by 60 participants from 14 GWP countries.

Event Summary

The workshop featured presentations from seven guest speakers who shared insights and case studies on the application of wildlife forensics across various countries. Presentations covered core topics such as crime scene investigation principles, DNA analysis, and best practices for national forensics lab development and management.

Key takeaways from the presentations and case studies include:

• Wildlife forensics serves both criminal justice and crime disruption purposes. Despite their potential, these approaches remain underused and unevenly developed, especially in key illegal wildlife trade (IWT)-affected countries. 
• Beyond legal proceedings, wildlife forensic data can help uncover trafficking networks by combining evidence from seizures with other intelligence (e.g., financial flows, digital traces) to map routes, actors, and operations.
• Standardized methods are essential for accurate species identification and reliable forensic evidence. 
• For forensic evidence to be admissible in court, labs must operate under robust Quality Management Systems (QMS). Implementing a QMS requires defining test scopes, applying international standards (e.g., SWFS), and investing in analyst training. 
• Proper collection of evidence at crime scenes is critical for both investigations and downstream forensic testing. 
• Biodiversity-rich countries like South Africa face difficulties due to limited reference DNA data. The GEF-7 project supported expansion of the country’s DNA reference library, DNA barcoding system, and biobank. 
• Wildlife forensic labs in Gabon, Thailand, and Malaysia, supported by GWP GEF-6 and GEF-7 funds, have contributed to cross-border enforcement, prosecutions, and anti-poaching efforts. 
• In some cases, DNA analysis have also played a key role in court cases to verify suspect statements, disprove false accusations, and help reduce charges. 
• For wildlife forensics to be effective, countries need functional legal systems and well-trained law enforcement personnel on the ground. 

The session also featured Zoom polls to collect participant feedback. Most respondents indicated that wildlife forensics is either already in use or under development as part of their country’s law enforcement response.

When asked where more support is needed to advance wildlife forensics, the top priorities identified were training for enforcement officers and prosecutors, followed by mechanisms for cross-border collaboration and access to forensic databases and tools.

Participants highlighted key challenges such as limited resources, a shortage of trained personnel, and inadequate lab infrastructure.