RhODIS - The Rhino DNA Index System and other forensic tools

Richard Emslie IUCN SSC African Rhino Specialist Group and SADC Rhino & Elephant Security Group/Interpol Envir Crime WG

on behalf of …

Cindy Harper VGL, Onderstepoort, Univ of Pretoria, S.Africa

• Database of African rhinoceros DNA profiles– Forensic dataset (poaching cases, seizures) – Routine dataset (stockpiles, live rhinos and

hunting trophies) • Nuclear DNA – Individual Identification• Primarily Law Enforcement & Investigations• Trade Routes • Horn Stockpiles and Hunting Trophies• Inform Metapopulation management• Distinguish between legal and illegal horn – could

help control a legal horn trade if this were ever approved by CITES.

RhODIS: What is it?

• Allows the matching of recovered rhino horn or other samples (eg blood from clothes, carpet or axe or tissue sample from poached rhino) to be linked to a specific individual.•Individual DNA profile – Random match probability ~1 in 1million)•Species and Sex•Example …

Tool to assist poaching investigations

RhODIS Training• RhODIS program includes sample collection and training to

ensure chain of evidence is maintained and evidence is admissable in court

• Training of EMI, Police investigators, field rangers, veterinarians, prosecutors on use of rhino DNA evidence and to collect DNA samples (South Africa, Swaziland and Kenya)

• Certification courses so far presented to 199 participants

• Forensic kits developed for sample collection • Kits produced at the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory and

>5000 distributed• Ensures chain of custody from sample collection to

evidentiary report and standard method of sample and data collection

RhODIS: Chain of Custody

3 Types of kit •Kit A – Forensic•Kit B – Routine•Kit C - Stockpile

Project Aims

• Get DNA profiles on database of as many of Africa’s live rhinos as possible, plus stockpiles and trophies.

• Single database system for Africa (IUCN WCC Rec 138 & SADC RESG/Interpol ECWG support – South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Malawi, Swaziland, Botswana, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia support RhODIS)

• Aim to share methodology and have network of labs able to do RhODIS analyses worldwide. First prize – a single compatible global system.

• In future plan for for periodic quality control checking of various RhODIS accredited labs by independent lab

Progress over last three years • 15,991 samples submitted to lab (822 forensic) • 6,496 different individuals• Routine use in all S.African investigations & also used

successfully in a Kenyan investigation• SA Legislation amended• Regular use in court in S.Africa • Training of Kenyans with view to have a second

RhODIS lab in Africa• Paper on methodology has very recently been

submitted for peer reviewed publication • ISO accreditation process underway with first audit

scheduled for early April 2013

Selected Case successes

Sudan 1938

Sudan 1938

Horn Fingerprinting • Basic idea = You are what you eat ..

– Different plants (woody browse and herbs, succulents vs tropical grasses) have different photosynthetic pathways

– Different areas have different geologies, soils and climates leading to different chemical composition of plants

• By analysing horn chemistry can we reliably determine Species and Location ?

• Some promise but more work needed

Other tools • GEF Project – to include

improving ballistics for wildlife cases

• Footprint lifting course• Scent capture device • Techniques for effective

prosecution– DNA– Specialist Prosecutors– Scene of Crime training– Charge using multiple laws– Asset forfeiture – Evidence in aggravation – Civil cases

Acknowledgements: RhODIS Donors